Painting and Playing Board Games Releases Oxytocin

Oxytocin has been nicknamed the “love hormone” because it is typically associated with good feelings and emotions. That is an oversimplified description of this hormone that also acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain.
Oxytocin plays a complex role in our bodies, and appears to be connected to (but not limited to) human emotions, childbirth, breastfeeding, recognition and bonding. The positive effects of increased levels of oxytocin are many and include greater relaxation, more willingness to trust others, and general psychological stability. The hormone also appears to help reduce stress and anxiety. All in all, a good hormone to have around!
So how can we increase our levels of oxytocin? Hugging, touching, and intimacy are all known to increase this hormone’s levels. But there are other ways as well. A February 2019 study titled “Examining Couple Recreation and Oxytocin Via the Ecology of Family Experiences Framework” was published in the Journal of Marriage and Family and found that when couples play board games or take a painting class together, their bodies release oxytocin. Surprisingly, the study also noted that men painters released twice as much or more oxytocin than women painters and couples playing games.
Researcher Karen Melton, Ph.D., assistant professor of child and family studies in Baylor’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, said:
“We were expecting the opposite — that couples playing the board games would interact more because ...

Source: World of Psychology - February 21, 2019 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Janet Singer Tags: Creativity Habits Happiness Research Board Games Gender Differences Oxytocin Painting Source Type: blogs