Valentine

So, it’s that time of year again where retailers seem to think that what girls really want (apart from chocolates, flowers, perfume and a trip to Hawaii but I assume that goes without saying) are teddy bears holding big red love hearts. Hmm…Personally, I don’t know any girls over 5 who really want one but I’m prepared to accept that I don’t know a representative sample of the population.

Sorry, I’m losing my focus here (stuffed bears holding giant love hearts seem to do that to me) – I’m talking about Valentines Day of course. But Valentines Day is really about love rather than bears with hearts so I thought I would share this interesting bit of (love)-information with you.

Oxytocin is a hormone released from the posterior pituitary gland in the brain. It has been nicknamed “the hormone of love” because it is involved in bonding and attachment between people. It has been found to be released during things like breastfeeding, labour and sex. Recently research has also found that oxytocin is released when we hug someone. But – and here is where it becomes funnily specific and very practical – the hug has to last at least 6 seconds to trigger the release of oxytocin.

So, if your relationship needs a little love boost try this:

Hug and….hold it, hold it, hold it, hold it, hold it, hold it…and let go.

And voila…bonding! (And it doesn’t even involve anything stuffed holding a love heart!).

In case it got lost in between teddy bears and love hormones I want to highlight that as always my point is basically the same: the more we understand our own biology the better we can use it to our advantage.

Happy Valentine…