That magic all begins with a kiss. In other words, there’s a reason we love romantic movies in which star-crossed lovers finally lock lips. Deep inside, we know what the characters are going through, and we love that feeling. We crave it -- again and again.
Expert Sheril Kirshenbaum, author of The Science of Kissing, knows just what that feeling is about. In fact, she gives the dish on how kissing affects our bodies in a self-authored article published by CNN.
Kirshenbaum says that our lips are important when it comes to the science of passion. That’s because they serve as our most exposed erogenous zones. Imagine that!
The Biology of Kissing
Kissing engages five of our 12 cranial nerves that connect with our brain. This communication sets off a storm that helps us choose how far we will go with a lover -- whether it's limited to a simple visit to “first base” or a full-out “home run.” And when it comes to that “first base” concept, statistics even show that a bad kiss can be a deal breaker in the way of relationships.
The electrical impulses that occur during a passionate kiss are what make us feel like we’re on top of the world. They’re what make us curl our toes in anticipation of just what will come next.
Kirshenbaum compares that process to, well, drugs. This is because the dopamine released during a passionate kiss creates a craving for the partner -- we want more and more.
“Dopamine is involved in what experts call the 'sensations of reward area of the brain.' This makes us feel intense desire that can lead to feelings of euphoria, insomnia and loss of appetite, and it is only one actor in the great chemical ballet happening in our bodies,” Kirshenbaum writes.
She says that some pretty amazing physical changes occur when we kiss someone we desire. Sure, our faces grow warm as our hearts beat out of our chests. But did you know that blood vessels dilate, too?
And it doesn’t stop there. The pupils expand, which may explain why we have a tendency to close our eyes during a kiss.
Even the nose gets in on the action. When a partner’s DNA is compatible with ours, his or her “scent” (yes, we all have a scent) helps to drive that craving for more. This, Kirshenbaum says, is why “there’s more to a kiss than meets the lips.”
All kissing aside, let’s get to business. After all, we often wonder what really happens when we hit a “home run.”
What About Sex?
As it turns out, sex is like a drug, too. According to Health magazine, sex releases that infamous dopamine. So really, when we have sex, we’re drugged out on passion.
"Taking cocaine and having sex don't feel exactly the same, but they do involve the same [brain] regions as well as different regions of the brain," Timothy Fong, M.D., associate professor of psychiatry at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine, tells Health.
Plus, sex calms us down. There’s good reason why we often feel like sex is a stress buster, and research proves it.
According to Women’s Health, Scotland researchers delved into this concept, and what they found is nothing short of fascinating. Subjects who had sex (intercourse, that is) one or more times over the course of two weeks handled stress better. Stuart Brody, Ph.D., study author and psychology professor at the University of West Scotland, says that this can apply to different types of stress. For example, it just may help you to calm down before a public speaking engagement.
But there’s more to it than dopamine. Dr. Laura Berman, author of It’s Not Him, It’s You!, says that two other chemicals are released in this process: endorphins and oxytocin (the so-called love drug). She tells Women’s Health that our bodies give off these chemicals when we’re frisky. In this process, pleasure centers in the brain are turned on. The result is that “chill” feeling that makes us want to take it easy after sex.
(Side Note: Go for The Big O. Berman says that orgasm is when you get the most bang for your buck in terms of chemical release.)
Sex has even been shown to diminish pain. That’s because the endorphins we told you about earlier are some of the best pain relievers on the planet. Really, they’re kind of like narcotics.
"The endorphins that are released during an orgasm closely resemble morphine, and they effectively relieve pain," Cindy M. Meston, Ph.D., coauthor of Why Women Have Sex tells ABC News. Studies back this up. One study even found that The Big O can slice pain in half. How’s that for a pain reliever?
Plus, sex can be a great way to fall asleep. According to Women’s Health, those same endorphins that we keep telling you about are great for rest. In a different interview, Meston tells Women’s Health that prolactin may play a part in this concept as well. "Prolactin levels are naturally higher when we sleep, which suggests a strong relationship between the two," she notes.
So next time you have a great romp in the hay, remember that there’s strong science behind why you feel the way you feel. Obviously, you don’t want this to distract you. But it’s pretty amazing to see exactly how the body works. It’s a little factory -- working in many different ways to help you feel good – and be well!