Think about that blissful feeling you get when you hug someone or have anΒ orgasm. It’s basically like a warm blanket enveloping you in coziness, dialing up your happiness while hitting the brakes on mood hijackers likeΒ anxiety. You can thank the feel-good hormone oxytocin for this fuzzy, fabulous feeling.
The best part: You can take strategic steps to ramp up oxytocin levels and keep stress and anxiety at bay.
The role of oxytocin in balancing mood plus what triggers its release.
Scientists often call oxytocin your love hormone or cuddle hormone. That’s because it helps moms bond with their babies. But it also helps you connect more deeply with your significant other. In fact, oxytocin has shifted over the last 100 years, from the hormone of labor to theΒ hormone of love.
This tiny hormoneΒ plays a variety of rolesΒ in your body, including:
- Sexual activity
- Erection
- Ejaculation
- Pregnancy (inducing uterine contraction, milk ejection, and maternal behavior)
- Social bonding
- Stress
One reason oxytocin leaves you feeling so good: It combats stress like a champ. A lot of anxiety is caused by stress, which generates a response from your adrenal glands to produce more of the stress hormoneΒ cortisol. But when you release oxytocin, you’re essentially buffering yourselfΒ against the negative effects of too much cortisol, so the harmful effects of cortisol, including anxiety, are minimized.
The great news is that you don’t need to have a baby or to breastfeed to rev up this hormone. In fact, a 20-second hug can help elevate your oxytocin. So can orgasms!
Yes, ladies, this doctor isΒ prescribingΒ orgasmsβno partner required. When you have an orgasm and release oxytocin, it relaxes you, calms your mind, and enables you to get a good night’s sleep. Everything gets better. During an orgasm, your body alsoΒ releases vasopressin. This hormone often helps activate your sleep hormone melatonin. And as you likely know, good sleep is a surefire strategy to reduce anxiety.
In addition to helping you bond with your baby and partner, oxytocin also builds social bonding. In fact, you can thank this hormone for helping the human species survive as long as it has: Research shows that oxytocin canΒ create trust and attachment between people.
More ways to harness the power of oxytocin to reduce anxiety.
Let’s be clear: Anxiety is no joke. It can be incredibly debilitating when you have a sense of fear and panic that seemingly comes out of nowhere, and it can seriously affect your life. And let’s be honest, when you’re feeling anxious, having an orgasm may be theΒ lastΒ thing on your mind. So, in addition to hugging more and getting cozy with your partner (or vibrator) when the mood strikes, try incorporating one of these five strategies into your daily life to dial up oxytocin and lower anxiety:
1.Β Balance your hormones.
Anxiety and your hormones are super intricately connected. Cortisol can crash oxytocin, but when one hormone is out of balance, it affects the whole system. To manage anxiety, you’ll want to keepΒ allΒ yourΒ hormones balanced.
Consider progesterone: When this hormone is just right, it keeps you feeling chilled out and in love with your life. Progesterone counters the effects of estrogen and has a calming effect, reducing anxiety and increasing sleepiness. If your progesterone is too low, you may struggle with anxiety.
The best starting point to balance all hormones? Dial in your healthy diet and nix the added sugars and refined carbs from your diet. If you’re not sure which hormone is your main troublemaker, check out the comprehensive quiz in Chapter 1 of my bookΒ Beyond the Pill.
2.Β Find ways to counter your stress.
Stress comes in so many flavors todayβall of which spike your cortisol and dampen oxytocin levels. To combat this, you’ll want to step up the oxytocin builders like hugs and orgasms while implementing strategies to put the brakes on cortisol. Meditation, prayer, float tanks, acupuncture, massage, and even getting a mani-pedi can help you chill and master your stress response. Animal studies also show that regular exercise canΒ increase oxytocin and dial down anxiety.
3.Β Consider alternatives to birth control.
Women who use the pill haveΒ decreased sensitivity to oxytocin, which can affect their ability to bond with their baby or their partner. While we’re still learning more about why, researchers are looking at how the pillΒ could affect your moodΒ as well as how you socialize and behave as a person altogether. Consider exploring anΒ intelligent alternative to birth control, which I discuss in my book; and if you do choose to ditch the pill, read my article on how to deal withΒ post-birth-control syndrome.
4.Β Mind your gut.
When your gut isn’t functioning properly, mood symptoms including anxiety can appear. A healthy gut requires pulling out frequent offenders like food intolerances (consider trying anΒ elimination diet toΒ identify intolerances and sensitivities), while stepping up nutrient-dense foods and supporting nutrients like probiotics,Β prebiotics, and fiber. (Bonus: When you fix your gut, you often rebalance hormones. Win-win!)
5.Β Try adaptogenic herbs.
Adaptogenic herbsΒ improve the communication between your brain and your adrenals while balancing cortisol output to hit the brakes on anxiety and stress. One of my faves is Rhodiola, which can significantlyΒ reduce anxiety and stress. Rhodiola helps balance cortisol levels to reduce stress and improve resiliency. This herb improves your energy, lowers anxiety and inflammation, and supports your immune system. Added bonus: Rhodiola also supports healthy progesterone.
Bottom line on oxytocin and anxiety.
Researchers stillΒ aren’t entirely sureΒ how oxytocin affects anxiety and other mood disorders like depression. WeΒ doΒ know optimal levels of this bonding hormone can lower your stress hormone cortisol and help you feel fabulous. So give lots of hugs, have lots of orgasms, and implement the strategies above to boost your levels. And for more tips on how to manage anxiety naturally, check out my article onΒ 20 natural anxiety remedies.
- Jolene Brighten, NMD
Author’s Note:
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