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This week’s B ME Bites Trivia Question:

Welcome to edition #24 of B ME Bites! This week kicks off the Feel-Good Hormone Series with a focus on oxytocin, the 'love hormone,' and its remarkable impact on emotional bonding and relationships.

The Power of a Hug - How Oxytocin Enhances Your Life and Relationships

Unpacking the 'Love Hormone' and Its Remarkable Impact on Emotional Bonding and Wellbeing

Oxytocin, often dubbed the 'love hormone,' plays a pivotal role in human behaviour and social interaction. This remarkable hormone is not only crucial for childbirth and breastfeeding but is also fundamental in strengthening emotional bonds and increasing trust and empathy among individuals.

Understanding Oxytocin

Oxytocin is a hormone secreted by the pituitary gland, primarily known for its roles in reproduction, such as labour and lactation. However, beyond its biological functions, oxytocin is instrumental in promoting a plethora of pro-social behaviours, making it a cornerstone of human connection.

The Benefits of Oxytocin

Enhances Emotional Bonds

Oxytocin is released during positive physical touch, such as hugging, kissing, and cuddling, which helps strengthen relationships. It fosters trust and affection, making it easier for people to build deeper connections with others.

Reduces Stress and Anxiety

The release of oxytocin has a calming effect on the mind and body, reducing stress levels and lowering anxiety. It helps combat cortisol, a stress hormone, promoting feelings of calmness and security.

Boosts Social Skills

Oxytocin can enhance social skills by improving your ability to read others' emotions and respond empathetically. This can be particularly beneficial in personal relationships and professional settings alike.

Promotes General Wellbeing

The effects of oxytocin are not limited to emotional health. It also has physical health benefits, such as lowering blood pressure and promoting sleep. By enhancing overall wellbeing, oxytocin contributes to a longer, happier life.

How to Naturally Boost Oxytocin Levels

Engage in Physical Touch

Simple acts like hugging loved ones, holding hands, or petting animals can stimulate oxytocin release and enrich your emotional health. A pioneer in the field of marriage and family therapy, Virginia Satir said “We need 4 hugs a day for survival. We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth.” Whilst some may say that size doesn’t matter 😉, the length of the hug definitely does. Studies have shown that when you hug somebody for at least 6 seconds, your body releases oxytocin and serotonin. After a 10 second hug, that release becomes a chemical flood for you and the person you’re hugging. All hugs count. Hugs with loved ones, hugs with pets, even hugging yourself.

Exercise

Engaging in regular exercise is not only good for the body but also the mind. Physical activities, especially those that involve social interaction like team sports or group fitness classes, can significantly increase oxytocin levels. This helps foster a sense of community and connection, while the physical exertion releases endorphins, further enhancing your mood and social bonds. Even solitary exercises like running or yoga can lead to oxytocin release by reducing stress and improving overall health.

Listen to Music

Music has a profound impact on our emotions and can be a powerful tool for increasing oxytocin levels. Listening to music you love, especially if shared with others, can enhance feelings of connection and happiness. Singing along to your favourite tunes with friends or attending a live concert are activities that can boost the production of oxytocin, strengthening feelings of togetherness and wellbeing.

Practice Kindness

Acts of kindness and compassion towards others can trigger oxytocin production, increasing feelings of wellbeing and connectedness. This happens for the person performing the act of kindness, the person receiving the act of kindness and also for people witnessing an act of kindness. It’s a win, win, win!

Foster Relationships

Invest time and energy in your relationships. Quality time with friends and family is not just enjoyable—it’s also healthy.

Are you getting your 12 hugs a day? How will you incorporate more oxytocin-boosting activities into your daily routine to enhance your relationships and overall happiness?

Reader Spotlight

Shout out to Jojo who left the following review after reading “Fat to Fabulous: Diet Free Weight Loss for Real Women”:

You can find out more about this book here.

Weekly Challenge

Your mission for this week, if you choose to accept it, is to do the following:

This week, challenge yourself to engage in activities that naturally increase your oxytocin levels, promoting happiness and strengthening connections with those around you. Each day, try a different activity designed to enhance your oxytocin production:

Day 1: Hug Your Loved Ones

Make an effort to give more hugs to family and friends today. Aim for at least five meaningful hugs.

Day 2: Perform Acts of Kindness

Do something nice for someone without expecting anything in return. This could be paying for a stranger’s coffee or helping a neighbour.

Day 3: Pet an Animal

Spend time with a pet, whether it’s your own or a friend’s. If you don’t have access to a pet, consider visiting a local animal shelter.

Day 4: Group Activities

Participate in a group exercise class, join a club meeting, or attend a community event. Engage actively with others in the group.

Day 5: Compliments Day

Give genuine compliments to both people you know and strangers. Aim to compliment at least five different people throughout the day.

Day 6: Connection Day

Dedicate this day to spending quality time with your family and friends. Focus on deep conversations or shared activities without digital distractions.

Day 7: Reflect and Write

Reflect on your experiences from the week and write about them in a journal. Note any changes in how you feel physically and emotionally.

Track your feelings and experiences each day in a journal or note app on your phone. At the end of the week, review the impact these oxytocin-boosting activities have had on your mood and relationships. Share your experiences and insights with friends or family to inspire them to try similar activities. You could use the #FAB3 Daily Journal to help you with this.

This challenge not only aims to boost your mood and social bonds but also encourages a habit of mindfulness and self-reflection through daily engagement in positive, relationship-building activities.

If you need some help, feel free to hit reply - let’s help you get started if you’re stuck!

B ME Bites is deliberately sent on a Friday morning (Aussie time) so that where ever you are in the world, you have the weekend to give yourself the gift of implementing a small change towards a better you. What will that small change be? Is there a change that you have been trying to make and haven’t yet succeeded? Give it another go, applying the above - you can do it!

Resource Roundup

Here’s an awesome super short video from Ed Mylett on the power of a hug!:

@edmylett

t’s been proven that when you hug somebody for at least 6 SECONDS, your body releases SEROTONIN and OXYTOCIN. After a 10-SECOND HUG, that ... See more

You can find his best selling book The Power of One More: The Ultimate Guide to Happiness and Success on Amazon.

Here’s another short video about the power of oxytocin, this time from Simon Sinek:

You can find Simon’s famous Start with Why Book Series on Amazon.

Below is a resource list that has been created with you in mind. Whenever something new that could be helpful is discovered or created, it’s added to the list, so check it out from time to time. If you’re strapped for time, once you open the page below, click on Resource List in the top menu, then click on the “Health Tools” link for a list of items that could be helpful on your path to a better you.

The answer to this week’s trivia question is:

Thanks for reading and the hope is that you found something helpful inside this issue. If you did, remember to share it with others whom could also find it helpful, using this link: https://bmebites.beehiiv.com

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Hit reply and answer either 1,2 or 3, and, if the answer is 2 or 3, give the deets on what would make it a 1 for you!:

1. Loved it!

2. It was OK

3. Meh!

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Until next week, keep taking one S.T.E.P.S step at a time! (If you missed the issue explaining The S.T.E.P.S Formula, you can check that out here)

Warm regards,

Shari Ware Chief Encouragement Officer at B ME Bites

PS - Here’s a little Friday funny for you!

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