"Pampering is a great way for couples to bond!" tells Sarah Watson about Bustle. "Body-to-body contact releases oxytocin, which helps us make a connection, which reduces anxiety, depression and blood pressure. I recommend petting to increase intimacy with the partner. Pampering doesn't have to lead to physical intimacy, but it can if you want to. The pet serves as a connecting and relaxing bridge. Find time to pet! ?

caresses:

1. Release oxytocin

As Watson said, many of the health benefits of petting are directly related to increased oxytocin. Oxytocin is sometimes called the "love hormone" because it is stimulated by all the actions of love: kissing, caressing, sexual intercourse. When you're petting someone, your brain releases more oxytocin.

2. Strengthen connections

The first health benefit of oxytocin that scientists discovered was that it is released in order to strengthen the bond between women and their children. Strokes are also effective in connecting more strongly with a romantic partner.

3. Reduce stress

Strokes reduce stress by releasing oxytocin, which is like a natural remedy for anxiety, but it?s also a time when your body is calm.

4. They help you sleep

This may sound like a joke, but petting helps you fall asleep. A 2003 study by researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Psychiatry found that oxytocin, released during petting, stimulated sleep in the brains of mice, which also applies to humans. However, there is one exception: They should not be stressed.

5. Strengthen the immune system

In addition to oxytocin, caresses also release serotonin, the "happiness hormone." Both of these hormones work to strengthen the immune system. A 2014 study by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University found that people who hugged more were less likely to get a cold after being exposed to the cold, but even those who got sick had less severe symptoms.

6. Improve heart health

Stress is really bad for health and guess which part of the body is super bad? What you thought - heart. A study from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, which included 100 adults found that a short hug followed by holding hands while watching a 10-minute video improved blood pressure and heart rate, compared to people who they did not hug and hold hands. If that?s possible in 10 minutes, imagine what an entire afternoon with Netflix could do?

7. Increase sexual satisfaction

Petting increases your sexual pleasure and relationship - especially if you have children. The University of Toronto, Mississauga, published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior in 2014 found that the most common pet was associated with higher pleasure during sex. The study also found that the effects were more pronounced for women than men and that couples with children reported even higher benefits than childless couples.

Source: Bustle