The power of oxytocin Oxytocin is known as the social attachment hormone.

While this powerful hormone can be found in both men and women it plays a more essential role in a woman s lif e. Oxytocin stimulates in women maternal behavior as well as sexual arousal. It reduces blood pressure levels and has a calming effect on both males and females . Oxytocin creates a sense of attachment. Research has shown that levels of oxytoc in in women actually increase when they connect with someone through friendship, sharing, caring, and nurturing. Oxytocin levels diminish when a woman misses so meone or experiences a loss or breakup or feels alone, ignored, rejected, unsupp orted and insignificant. Women in love show high levels of oxytocin. This high level of oxytocin will cre ate a situation where a woman is often consumed by thoughts of giving freely of herself and sharing more time with her partner. To sustain that high level of ox ytocin, a woman must feed good in a relationship, trusting that her partner care s for her as much as she cares for him. There is a direct correlation between the support a woman feels and the maintena nce of a high level of oxytocin. How a woman interprets her partner s actions will determine the continuing flow of oxytocin. When she anticipates getting her nee ds met oxytocin will stay high, when a woman expects more from her partner than he is able or willing to give, oxytocin levels will reverse and quickly drop. This is one critical reason why you will see more erratic spikes of oxytocin in women who depend to greatly on their partners for support. Whereas women who hav e a wide circle of social support, particularly, and most typically, in the form of female family and friends, have a much greater chance of maintaining healthy levels of oxytocin. There are many ways, in fact, for a woman to raise her oxytocin levels without d epending on a man. Oxytocin levels rise in a woman in a variety of situations. M any of which can have nothing to do with a male partner. Oxytocin stimulators ca n include Sharing, teamwork, communication, shared responsibilities, affection, support, collaboration, and compliments. When a woman feels rushed, overwhelmed, or pressured to do everything, her oxyto cin levels will drop and she will feel her stress levels increase. It is helpful for her partner to recognize this and to help her rebuild oxytocin levels by ma king sure she feels seen, heard and supported. At the end of the day, a simple h ug, a private conversation, and some affection can make a big difference. The power of oxytocin for a woman, like the power of testosterone for a man, pla ys a powerful role in how we feel about ourselves and the world around us. To le arn more about hormones and their effect on our lives and our relationships read John Gray s new book Venus on Fire, Mars on Ice. By John Gray Ph.D - Venus on Fire, Mars on Ice How to Boost Your Levels of the Anti-Stress 'Love Hormone' Oxytocin Catherine Dagger Catherine Dagger, Yahoo! Contributor Network Mar 28, 2010 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here." More: Oxytocin

tweet Print Flag Oxytocin is well-known as the naturally-occurring hormone which helps individual s bond with others, particularly with partners and children. Released from the pituitary gland during sex, oxytocin plays a part in, literall y, 'making love'. It activates the loving feeling that many people experience wi th their partner. During pregnancy, oxytocin also controls the uterine contractions that trigger c hildbirth and subsequently encourages the flow of milk in breastfeeding. The hormone is also released in group social situations such as parties and wedd ings. Newer studies indicate that oxytocin is also involved in the development and exp ression of trust, generosity and empathy. Dr Kerstin Uvas-Moberg of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, is the author of The Oxytocin Factor and has long researched the hormone and its physic al and emotional effects. She explains that oxytocin has two known important effects: "Oxytocin lowers blood pressure and other stress-related responses and it increa ses positive social behaviors, such as friendliness and desire to connect. Oxyto cin impacts the body in two ways. The first is that it is a hormone released fro m the blood stream as it circulates in the body. It is also released by the nerv e centers inside the brain. This means that it is capable of having a direct imp act because it is not only a blood born hormone." She goes on to explain that in her view we would all benefit from higher levels of oxytocin and that there are steps we can take to increase our levels: "Today, in my opinion, our relaxation responses are under-developed and we are m uch more stressed than we have been historically. Therefore, everything that we can do to enhance our levels of oxytocin increases our options for wellbeing." Her advice on increasing those levels is as follows: - Touch is important. Stroking and cuddling, as well as having sex, activate oxy tocin. - Both men and women will produce more oxytocin if they relate more to their chi ldren and cuddle their kids and wife or husband or partner. - Intimate, pleasurable eye contact produces oxytocin. - Stroking furry, friendly pets will also increase oxytocin levels. - Exercise such as swimming, brisk walking and sex release oxytocin. **Kerstin Uvs-Moberg, M.D., Ph. D, author of The Oxytocin Factor, is a world auth ority on oxytocin. She has carried out research at the Karolinska Institute in S tockholm and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala where sh e is Professor of Physiology. An authority in obstetrics, psychology, paediatric s, child development and physical therapy, Dr. Uvs-Moberg has published more than four hundred scientific papers. She lectures widely in Europe and the USA.** Published by Catherine Dagger READ CATH'S BLOG on daily life in Provence, south of France, at: http://provence

southoffrance.blogspot.com Cath lives in Provence. In the past she lived in Wash ington DC., England, Scotland and Italy. Sh... View profile The Health Benefits of HugsHugs have many uses today, but most do not know t hat hugs also have health benefits. Here is an explanation of how hugging can he lp you live a longer, happier life. Summary of Alzheimer's DiseaseGeneral overview of research related to the ca uses, symptoms, diagnosis, treatments, and therapies for Alzheimer's Disease. Health Benefits of Sex You Might Not Have KnownSex is a natural stress buste r and beyond that there are a lot of healths benefits in store for those who dar e to know. How To Be A Better Lover 10 science-backed ways to get more lovin By Mandy Oaklander add more love to your life If you re a hopeless romantic, you might not want to read this. Science is about t o dash every fairy tale you ve ever read. Turns out, one little molecule might be the biological basis for love. It s a horm one called oxytocin, and it s the subject of a new book called The Moral Molecule by Paul Zak, PhD, professor of economic psychology and management at Claremont G raduate University. As a neuroeconomist, he seems an unlikely candidate for the title of Dr. Love I m a nerd and I love to be in my lab avoiding humans, he tells us but he s one of the world s foremost experts on the love molecule. Sex & Relationships 10 Tricks For a Sexier Bedroom 8 Friends Every Woman Needs Quiz: How Healthy Are Your Friendships? Friendship Are hormone inbalances making you fat? Take the quiz and find out now. The No-Fail Happiness Trick You Need To Try Here s a boost for Team Romantic: Love does lead to happily ever after, says Dr. Z ak. There s a very clear mapping from positive social relationships back to health, he says. More oxytocin means less cardiovascular stress and an improved immune s ystem. But here s where fairy tales and science differ: You don l the love there are easy ways to take matters into your brain to release more oxytocin. Sex and cuddling are the about (and feel free to do more of that, too) but if you e of the bedroom, here are 10 ways to boost oxytocin: t need a thunderbolt to fee own hands and train your ones you probably know re looking for fun outsid

1. Hug it out. If you meet Dr. Zak, the first thing he ll do is give you a hug. I j ust refuse to handshake at all, he says. Even among strangers, hugging releases o xytocin, he says. Last year, Dr. Zak spread the hugging bug to hardened New York ers at an event called Love Night, where strangers were encouraged to hug one an other. If it works on 500 random New Yorkers, it ll work for you, Dr. Zak says. How Healthy Are Your Friendships? 2. Modify your handshake. Not into hugging your mailman or job interviewer? Touc h is still important. Dr. Zak suggests a modified handshake: One hand over the o ther. Making eye contact also makes the connection more powerful.

3. Watch a tearjerker. Seeing a powerful movie is the best oxytocin releaser Dr. Zak has found to date. Here s some context: When oxytocin is increased by 10-20%, noticeable behavior changes like feeling more relaxed result. Watching an emotional ly compelling movie makes oxytocin surge 47%. Why? Our brains process the plot a nd characters as if they were in the room with us, Dr. Zak says. 4. Sing karaoke. Belting out show tunes, singing in a choir, or even doing karao ke is an instant oxytocin trigger, but only if you re doing it with other people, Dr. Zak says. 5. Bust a move. There s nothing quite like partnered dancing to get your oxytocin fix. In one experiment, Dr. Zak drew the blood of dancers before and after a nig ht of dancing. He found that the oxytocin levels of the dancers rose 11%, regard less of age or gender. They also reported feeling closer to others and closer to something bigger than themselves, even though the evening had nothing to do with religion. 6. Thrill yourself. Want to feel closer with someone? Take them bungee jumping, rollercoaster riding, or out to see a scary flick. Doing something thrilling is a great way to connect with somebody, Dr. Zak says it s part of the reason why policem en and soldiers have such extraordinarily strong bonds. 7. Host a walking meeting. Studies have proven that exercising with a friend mak es for a better workout, and Dr. Zak would argue that it makes for a happier one , too. He applies the same strategy to the office by taking his lab mates on a h ike in the foothills of California every month. The moderate stress [of hiking] w ill make the bonding experience better, he says. How Love Keeps You Healthy 8. Treat your friend. Take a pal to dinner, Dr. Zak says. That little gift will start a virtuous feel-good cycle. 9. Say the L word. And don t just reserve it for your sweetie, says Dr. Zak. Love can be familial, spiritual, or friendly. Say it and you re very likely to hear it ba ck if you do and then demonstrate it, he says. 10. Check Facebook. Social media is often heralded as the end to meaningful inte raction, but science sees it differently. While studying people s oxytocin levels after using Facebook and Twitter, Dr. Zak saw oxytocin release in every particip ant in each of his three experiments. Though in-person interactions are much ric her, he says, there s room for the Internet. We re a connective species: The more int eraction, the better. Read more: http://www.prevention.com/health/sex-relationships/easy-ways-increase -oxytocin-levels#ixzz2MD1XW9ut