Tag Archives: oxytocin

Does your dog look you in the eye?

07 Thursday Apr 2022

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That’s love. Dr. Brian Hare founded the Canine Cognition Center at Duke University – and he says, when your dog gives you eye contact, she’s quote, “hugging you with her eyes.” Because it triggers the release of the bonding hormone oxytocin – the same hormone that helps mothers and babies bond. If you want to test this out, try to naturally maintain eye contact when you’re interacting with your dog and see how she responds. But only do this with your own dog. A strange dog may consider eye contact aggressive.

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When’s the last time you smiled at your dog?

17 Thursday Mar 2022

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Well, they love your smile! Researchers from the University of Helsinki say it gives your dog an extra shot of the feel-good hormone oxytocin. And that not only makes your dog happier – it makes them trust you more! And when you and your dog are both pumping out oxytocin, it increases your bond so you feel closer. So, go ahead and smile and laugh with your dog. They can read your happy expression and it makes them happy, too.

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Need an instant mood boost?

27 Friday Aug 2021

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Clip some coupons. Research from Claremont Graduate University found every time we see a good deal – and anticipate saving money – our brain gets a shot of feel-good oxytocin and dopamine – even if we never actually buy the item. That explains why researchers found clipping coupons, or visiting coupon websites, can trigger a 38% jump in happiness levels. Which is similar to the mood boost we get from receiving a gift.

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Pets are great stress relievers!

16 Friday Apr 2021

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And a new study out of Queen Mary University in London says, if we just gave them a chance, goats could be our new best friends! The researchers say goats have the same capacity to bond with humans as puppies do – by looking into humans’ eyes. And the researchers say when there’s eye contact with a goat, the bonding hormone oxytocin is released in both the goat and the human. The behavior is called “directed gazing.” And domesticated horses do it, as well as dogs and goats. 

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How does soaking in a steamy bath scented with rose, vanilla, jasmine, or lavender essential oils sound?

09 Wednesday Dec 2020

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Like heaven, right? Well, doing that will raise blood levels of the feel-good and calming neurotransmitters oxytocin and serotonin… for SIX HOURS afterward! That’s according to research from Brown University. And because the bath itself soothes your brain’s anxiety center – it needs less of that surge of oxytocin and serotonin. So more of those feel-good chemicals will be used to relax the cells in the rest of your body.

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When’s the last time you smiled at your dog?

11 Wednesday Nov 2020

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Well, they love your smile! Researchers from the University of Helsinki say it gives your dog an extra shot of the feel-good hormone oxytocin. And that not only makes your dog happier – it makes them trust you more! And when you and your dog are both pumping out oxytocin, it increases your bond so you feel closer. So, go ahead and smile and laugh with your dog. They can read your happy expression and it makes them happy, too.

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Need another reason to cuddle your partner, and be more affectionate?

30 Thursday Jul 2020

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It’ll make you BOTH happier. That’s according to a new study from the University of Toronto. The researchers found couples that spend time hugging, holding hands, and touching each other lovingly are MUCH happier in their relationships and in life. The reason? Because physical contact triggers production of feel-good chemicals, especially the bonding hormone oxytocin, which makes couples feel closer, and has been shown in numerous studies to boost happiness.

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Recharge yourself in 60-seconds!

06 Wednesday May 2020

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Posting a picture for Throwback Thursday can do more than get you some “likes” on Instagram. It can boost happiness and help relieve work burnout! According to psychologist Dr. Scott Haltzman, looking at a fun picture of yourself as a kid can re-energize you in as little as 60-seconds! That’s because reflecting on happy childhood memories kick-starts the production of happy brain chemicals, like oxytocin – which produces a feeling of alert calmness. So any time you’re feeling run down and frazzled, scroll through your gallery of Throwback Thursday pictures for a pick-me-up.

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Feel happier by holding hands!

07 Tuesday Apr 2020

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There’s a scientific reason you hold your partner’s hand to express love, or your child’s hand when they’re scared: Because skin-to-skin contact produces the bonding hormone oxytocin. Psychologists at DePauw University say skin contact also causes a calming drop in blood pressure and heart rate in BOTH of you. So, next time you need to feel calmer or happier or think a loved one does, grab their hand and give it a squeeze.

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Which is better for our health: Dogs or cats?

03 Monday Dec 2018

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Sorry, cat-people, but DOGS win! Dr. Lori Kogan, clinical science professor at Colorado State, says dogs need to be walked, making us more physically active. Walking our dogs also means meeting other dog owners, or dog-lovers that just want to say “hi,” which triggers production of feel-good hormones. Plus: Growing up with a dog lowers a person’s risk of allergies and asthma. But before cat lovers get their claws out, ALL pets improve our health. Because they provide stress relief and a mood-boosting dose of oxytocin every time we snuggle, play with, or even just look at them.

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