For most sexually inclined people, the main two reasons making out is fun would be: One, it's pleasurable for them, and two, it's pleasurable for the other person. It's a win-win! But if you stop and think about it, doing the tongue tango feels good for way more reasons than just those two. As health and wellness expert Samantha Morrison explained to Bustle, "Kissing is engrained into human nature."
For starters, the pleasure that you get from making out is literally the result of a hormone, oxytocin, being released when you're kissing. Not only is it a chemical that makes you feel generally happy, but, as psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert told Bustle, "This [also] creates a bond and a feeling of connectedness. A feeling of relaxation and well-being follows."
So apart from feeling good physically, making out (especially with a new partner) can make you feel good mentally, too. And besides, it can be exciting to move into uncharted territory — aka new levels of intimacy — with someone new. The fun of making out doesn't just apply to new kissing candidates, though.
It's also a great way to re-build intimacy between partners — both sexually and romantically. "[Kissing is] also integral to mediating affection and maintaining a lasting bond between partners," Morrison said. Here are five solid ways that prolonged lip-locking can keep the butterflies in your life.
01Making out is the flirty first step to intimacy
Kissing and eventually, making out, are usually the first steps in initiating romantic or sexual intimacy. And if making out goes well, especially on the first date, then it's a sparkling, positive indicator of good things to come.
Plus, according to science, making out literally helps you feel things out. Research from biological anthropologist Helen Fisher shows that your body picks up on the other person's chemical profiles while kissing. These are clues as to whether the other person is a risk taker, the nurturing type, and so on.
02It ups the sexual ante
You don't need to be a biological anthropologist to know that not all makeouts are created equal. For example, a makeout session that's 30 seconds to a minute is def not a peck on the lips. But it's still chaste and perhaps more in the "I really like you" territory.
But a make-out session in the 15- to 20-minute range, on the other hand, would indicate lots of lust and pent-up sexual frustration between you and the other person. Analyzing what led to a passionate makeout session and what it means is definitely delicious — that's why it's so fun to sit around with your crew and parse out just what first, second, and third base means.
Making out is definitely a sign that you're on the precipice of something bigger, whether that's a full-on romantic relationship or a passionate sexual one.
03It's great for sexual teasing
And then there's the making out that isn't 30 seconds or 20 minutes. There are sessions in that four- to 10-minute range, where kissing the other person feels indulgent and you're definitely ready to take it to the next level.
Sometimes, you or the other person draws out a make-out session to be anything just short of sex as a teasing method. Giving your partner a hickey or doing anything else to rile your partner up sexually can make sex feel so much more satisfying.
04It's a reminder of what can happen next
If you've already had sex with someone, making out can be a tantalizing reminder — to you or the other person — of just how good your sex is. You'll get turned out thinking about happened last time you made out. They'll get turned thinking about what else your mouth can do.
It's like the opening credits to your favorite film or the opening notes of your favorite song: A surefire sign of good things to come.
05It's a good way to reconnect sexually & romantically
Making out is about intuitiveness. While there are certain moves and kissing techniques that are crowd-pleasers, you have to be in tune with the other person's preferences. And trust that they'll make the effort to do the same for you. So, taking your time to slowly and sensually kiss your partner can be a great way to re-build intimacy.
If you do so for the pleasure of it, you can focus on each other and being on the same wavelength. Sometimes, it's nice to make out or have sex that isn't "goal-oriented," so to speak. Slow down and get creative with touch!
Kissing is so much more than touching lips together because it feels good. It's an energy exchange between two people that can really keep that spark going, whether you're casually dating or in a long-term relationship. No matter what your relationship status is, it's only up from here if making out's involved.
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