Remember the "cuddle hormone" for a good night's rest!

Research has shown that having a cuddle before dropping off to sleep really can guarantee you a good night's rest, but why is this so effective and what if you don't have a cuddle partner?

Well, it seems its all about the “cuddle hormone” oxytocin – also known as the “happiness hormone”. Cuddling makes us feel happy and relaxed and our brains release oxytocin, dopamine and serotonin, all of which help to stave off depression and increase our feelings of well-being and enhance our connectedness to the person we are cuddling, improving our relationship with that person.

But even more beneficial, oxytocin also helps to increase our tolerance of pain, lowers our stress and anxiety levels, lowers our blood pressure and thereby the risk of heart disease and boosts our immune systems.

Pain reduction seems to come about from the pleasure experienced from touching and being touched during a cuddle. Swedish massage, a technique that used long gliding strokes along with firm kneading has been attributed to a lowering of cytokines that cause inflammation so it may well be worth incorporating this into your cuddle routine!

Stress and anxiety levels tend to reduce during cuddling due to the release of another hormone, cortisol from the adrenal glands. As our stress levels reduce, this in turn has a beneficial effect on our blood pressure, which is reduced, thereby taking away any strain on our hearts and thus decreasing our chances of incurring heart disease.

Our immune systems are boosted by the release of chemicals into our bloodstreams and this helps us to fight infection and stay healthier for longer.

So, for a good night's sleep, take time out for a cuddle before you go to bed and if you don't have a cuddle partner, then cuddle your pet dog or cat and if that's not a possibility, a massage or even a warm bath before bed can make a difference.

You know it makes sense!

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