5 Scientific Reasons Why Guys Who Cuddle Are Healthier And Happier
Cuddling is a pretty stellar activity. It usually involves a nice, comfy bed. You’re usually with someone you care about. And there’s probably a television somewhere in your proximity. Not to mention, it almost always segues into either sex or sleep, sometime soon after.
This is why I don’t understand why cuddling carries with it a very feminine connotation. Like, cuddling doesn’t even have a formal definition. It’s more or less the act of doing nothing. I’m pretty sure there aren’t too many men who would be opposed to doing that – especially with a lady adjacent.
When you factor in that cuddling provides a number of different health benefits, I’m sure you’ll digress from any original anti-cuddling stance you might have harbored, immediately. Yeah, that’s right – cuddling is healthy. Here are 5 reasons why every guy should proactively try and cuddle this autumn.
It will help you maintain long-term relationships
According to a study done by ABC News, cuddling is vital for any type of long-term relationship. This notion lies within the greater concepts of happiness, for men, and sexual satisfaction for women. As it seems, a little bit of spooning may go a long way in benefitting both of these aspects, respectively.
Statistically speaking, generally, men will report more sexual satisfaction than ladies. However, cuddling is proven to improve women’s self-reported sexual satisfaction and, in the process, improve their man’s happiness.
The reason behind this revolves around the aspect of “touch.” Touch from a loved one is a great way to combat poor moods and unhappiness, says psychologist Aline Zoldbrod, who also explains how touch from a loved one can easily lead to more intimate time with a loved one, and couples who promote intimacy are “bound to be happier.”
It lowers our blood pressure
Human touch, alone, can do wonders. Every time you make human contact, your body will excrete the neuropeptide “oxytocin,” which, no, isn’t an illicit drug. Oxytocin is a “brain chemical” that serves a variety of different purposes, most of which are extremely beneficial.
According to our friends at the Good Men Project, lower blood pressure levels is one of those purposes. Every time you touch someone, or hug someone, and your brain releases some oxytocin – your body will respond and step back from that “fight-or-flight” mentality that you uphold when you’re stressing – and also lower your blood pressure in the process.
So before you’re about to tell your dad you totaled his car after borrowing it, remember to give dad a hug.
It will make you happier
As mentioned earlier, cuddling can improve sexual satisfaction in women. What hasn’t been mentioned, however, is how improved sexual satisfaction in women can improve overall happiness in men. Yeah, who said men are jealous lovers?
Men reported increased happiness proportional to more hugging and kissing with their partners and, additionally, more orgasms experienced by their PARTNERS. Cuddling, which is almost entirely extended periods of hugging and kissing, has been known to help women orgasm more easily and, in the process, make men happier.
It can lead to more sex
Whether you’re in bed or not, human contact will promote the body to produce and release the hormone dopamine, which is a naturally occurring aphrodisiac, or something that increases your level of sexual drive.
This shouldn’t be too much of a shocker, however, it’s important to note that cuddling doesn’t just lead to sex because you both are in bed together – there’s actually science to it. Although, I’m sure the fact that you’re both lying together without much clothing on doesn’t hurt the initiative for more.
It makes you a better communicator
Cuddling will allow you and your partner to communicate better for a bunch of different reasons. Firstly – and most obviously – by lying in bed together with frequency, you’ll always have time to speak about matters that might be upsetting you or preoccupying you.
It is quite possible that during relationships, especially where both involved have work and other obligations, for certain matters to tend to “slip through the cracks,” so to speak.
Also, as Shape explains, cuddling will promote a brand of “unspoken” body language that words could never replicate. Certain things, like holding a loved one, demonstrate a more authentic level of empathy that your partner will be able to notice immediately.
