Oxytocin is a mammalian social bonding hormone.
As humans, we have been proven to make it in contexts of love, empathy, connection, bonding, trust, generosity, altruism, good story telling, orgasms, childbirth, breastfeeding and even more recently during episodes of awe and gratitude.
These findings were made by blood tests by a variety of clinical researchers across the last 20 years.
Oxytocin is a neuropeptide/ hormone, that functions as a neurotransmitter.
It is produced naturally, (i.e.: endogenously), by the hypothalamus, in the brain. It is stored and released by the posterior pituitary gland into the spine and bloodstream.
Once you engage in a social bonding activity, you will produce oxytocin, which in turn will make you more empathic and more likely to act pro-socially again. It supports a self perpetuating feedback loop of empathy.
When released it induces feelings of euphoria amongst many other benefits. See below for a brief list of these.
As humans, we have been proven to make it in contexts of love, empathy, connection, bonding, trust, generosity, altruism, good story telling, orgasms, childbirth, breastfeeding and even more recently during episodes of awe and gratitude.
These findings were made by blood tests by a variety of clinical researchers across the last 20 years.
Oxytocin is a neuropeptide/ hormone, that functions as a neurotransmitter.
It is produced naturally, (i.e.: endogenously), by the hypothalamus, in the brain. It is stored and released by the posterior pituitary gland into the spine and bloodstream.
Once you engage in a social bonding activity, you will produce oxytocin, which in turn will make you more empathic and more likely to act pro-socially again. It supports a self perpetuating feedback loop of empathy.
When released it induces feelings of euphoria amongst many other benefits. See below for a brief list of these.
WHAT ARE THE MEASURABLE BENEFITS OF OXYTOCIN?
- It makes you HIGH! It induces euphoric feelings. (Those tingles /frissons at the back of your head when you hear beautiful music or see a moving live show. These have been shown to be the physiological and somatic sensory feelings of oxytocin in your system.)
- It has been proven to increase life expectancy by an average of 30 years, by most excitingly of all: dilating blood vessels and regenerating heart tissue.
- It has countless psychological and mental health benefits, including with depression, anxiety and PTSD.
- It boosts immunoglobulin production, (white blood cells and in turn immunity.)
- It helps regulate Cortisol, one of our stress and fear hormones, in times when it may be peaking abnormally.
- It helps people with ASD - autism spectrum disorders.
- Increases cognitive functions, neurosynaptic health and neurogenesis, (nerve building and rebuilding.)
- Even more impressive, the synthesised oxytocin, (i.e.: exogenously produced), administered in a nasal spray for example has been discovered to increase empathy and generosity.