What Does Cuddling Mean to a Girl?

Cuddling is an excellent way to de-stress and create intimacy.
Cuddling is an excellent way to de-stress and create intimacy.

Cuddling is an excellent way to de-stress and create intimacy. Cuddling and caressing are essential for a long-term and healthy relationship.

For girls, cuddling means reassurance from their boyfriend that they are safe and can let their guard down. Cuddling also provides happiness due to the release of the hormone oxytocin.

When the girl cuddles up, there is a release of a chemical called oxytocin in the brain. The release of oxytocin makes you feel good because it is the love hormone. A touch or skin to skin contact slows down our heart rate and relaxes our muscles. This action is mostly due to the hormone oxytocin. As oxytocin levels are often higher in girls; hence, cuddling seems to be more beneficial for women.

Why should girls cuddle up more?

For girls, cuddling also means more health benefits apart from getting a positive feel from a caring relationship, which includes:

  • Improving your heart health: Oxytocin also lowers blood pressure, thus protects your heart. Studies have shown that women or girls are at a higher advantage.
  • Ease stress: The release of oxytocin after cuddling with your loved ones can ease your stress. Oxytocin also lowers the amount of the stress hormone, which can be of help.
  • Boosts immunity: During your gloomy days, a hug from your loved ones can make you bright. Similarly, when you are down with a cold, a hug can do wonders.
  • Helps you fall asleep: Does 10 minutes of cuddling before the sleep not sound perfect? As exciting as it sounds, cuddling can give you a good night’s sleep due to the calming effects of oxytocin.
  • Weight loss: Oxytocin is released when we have had a hearty meal and signals the brain and body to stop eating. Similarly, oxytocin released while hugging, kissing, or holding hands has the same effects as oxytocin released after a well-rounded meal. In short, there is less probability for you to grab a snack or another bite.
  • Other benefits: Oxytocin released during a physical touch has many more benefits, including laying the foundation for:
    • Cognitive behavior
    • Social and emotional well-being
    • Strengthening emotional bonds and trust
  • Increases sexual satisfaction: There have been high reports of sexual satisfaction when followed by a kiss, cuddling, and caressing by the partner.
  • Elevates mood: A hug from the loved one is all you need when you are depressed or feel like the world’s crashing down.
  • Helps you communicate emotions: Studies have shown that touch is the best way to communicate emotions, such as love, gratitude, and sympathy between loved ones. You can communicate different emotions through touch.
  • Helps relieve pain: Experts claim that cuddling in the form of therapeutic touch can also reduce pain. Therapeutic touch is a technique where therapists place their hands on or near a person’s body intending to help or heal.

Do you need more reasons to cuddle? If you do not have a partner, try cuddling your pet, your friend, or any of your loved ones.

References
WebMD. Health Benefits of Cuddling. https://www.webmd.com/balance/ss/slideshow-health-benefits-cuddling

Penn Medicine. Can You Kiss and Hug Your Way to Better Health? Research Says Yes. January 08, 2018. https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/health-and-wellness/2018/february/affection#:~:text=Cuddling%3D%20less%20stress,other%20mental%20and%20physical%20ailments.

University of Minnesota. Therapeutic Touch. https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/therapeutic-touch

The Trustees of Indiana University. Couples Report Gender Differences in Relationship, Sexual Satisfaction Over Time. July 5, 2011. https://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/18996.html