10 Natural Ways to Boost Oxytocin (The “Love Hormone”)

Want to feel happier, less stressed, and more connected? It all starts with oxytocin—your body’s natural “love hormone.” This feel-good hormone is a natural stress reliever and a VIP for your emotional well-being. It promotes trust, bonding, and relaxation and helps you build strong social connections.

Ready to invite more joy into your life? Keep reading. In this article, we’ll cover how to increase oxytocin naturally, so you can feel more “in love” with life.”

What is Oxytocin?

Oxytocin is a hormone made by your brain and released by your pituitary gland. Nicknamed “the love hormone,” it plays a key role in childbirth, lactation, and sexual arousal. But it also has a strong influence on your emotional health and well-being.

Anytime you feel “warm and fuzzy” inside, oxytocin is at work. It enhances social connection and fosters a sense of safety, trust, and empathy. Due to its “feel-good” effects, it’s often grouped with other happy chemicals like serotonin and endorphins.

Benefits of Oxytocin

Oxytocin may be dubbed the “cuddle hormone”, but its benefits go way beyond that. It has far-reaching effects on your physical and emotional health.

Oxytocin benefits include:

Builds trust and empathy
Evokes feelings of altruism
Fosters bonding and pro-social behavior
Strengthens social and romantic relationships
Enhances sexual arousal
Reduces stress and anxiety
Lowers inflammation
Relieves pain
Promotes immune health
Stimulates uterine contractions during childbirth
Helps with breastfeeding
Facilitates parent-infant bonding

One of oxytocin’s biggest perks is its stress-busting effects. It promotes relaxation and reduces the stress hormone cortisol.

Apart from being a stress buffer, oxytocin just makes you feel good. It helps you feel calm, connected, and in love with life. And who doesn’t want more of that?

How to Increase Oxytocin Naturally

Your body naturally produces oxytocin. However, many simple lifestyle habits can boost its release—and help you “feel the love.”

Here are 10 ways to naturally increase your oxytocin levels:

1 – Give hugs

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Any type of skin-to-skin contact stimulates oxytocin release. It’s why doctors place newborn babies on their mother’s chests after birth. Physical touch fosters bonding and trust.

But you don’t have to be in a delivery room to experience the benefits. Hugs, hand-holding, and cuddling on the couch can all boost oxytocin, whether with a partner, family, or friends.

2 – Cuddle your pet

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For a quick oxytocin boost, give your furry friends some love. Petting your pooch is a win-win. Physical touch, like stroking or petting, increases oxytocin levels in dogs and humans, according to research. No wonder snuggling with your pup feels so comforting.

While the research focused on dogs, there’s a good chance that petting your cat would have similar feel-good effects.

3 – Have sex

Sexual intimacy and orgasms are a major trigger for oxytocin release—for you and your partner. This shouldn’t come as a surprise. After all, it’s called the “love hormone” for a reason! Oxytocin enhances emotional bonding and helps you feel more connected to your partner.

Single? Good news: masturbation also boosts oxytocin and offers similar mood-boosting benefits. Yet another reason to show yourself some love, literally.

4 – Maintain social connections

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Want more oxytocin in your life? Spend more time with loved ones. Oxytocin is released during positive interactions with others. Sharing a family meal, meeting a friend for coffee, or simply chatting with a neighbor all count. These moments may seem small, but they can make a big difference in your emotional health.

Another thing: when being social, try to be fully present. Make eye contact, put away any distractions, and truly listen. This will not only make your conversations more meaningful but also boost oxytocin, helping you feel more connected.

5 – Meditate

Meditation helps calm the mind, lift your mood, and cultivate feelings of compassion—for yourself and others. This can strengthen relationships and help you feel a deeper sense of connection.

To take it a step further, try focusing your meditation on a loved one. According to research, doing a gratitude and altruism meditation led to an increase in oxytocin levels.

Need more guidance? This loving-kindness meditation will walk you through it.

6 – Practice random acts of kindness

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When you brighten someone else’s day, it brightens yours too. Good deeds, like volunteering, helping a stranger, or giving a thoughtful gift generate feelings of altruism. And these selfless acts can stimulate oxytocin release.

So look for ways to “pay it forward” as you go about your day. Here are a few ideas:

Give someone a compliment
Smile at strangers
Send a positive text
Slow down and let someone merge in traffic
Donate a book to a little library
Cook a meal for someone in need
Mail handwritten thank you cards

7 – Try some yoga

Ever left a yoga class feeling lighter and brighter? You weren’t imagining things. Yoga’s combo of mindful breathing and calming movements reduces stress and promotes relaxation. And research suggests yoga can boost oxytocin too.

In one study, people who participated in yoga therapy had improved oxytocin levels. Heart-opening poses in particular, like backbends, are said to promote trust and bonding.

Want to try it out? Here’s a heart-opening practice to help you feel the love.

8 – Move your body

If yoga isn’t your thing, no worries. Research shows other forms of exercise, like running, may increase oxytocin too. On top of that, physical activity boosts your mood, reduces stress, and strengthens your heart and immune health.

For a bonus, try working out with a buddy. Go for a walk together, play pickleball, or meet up for a fitness class. Pairing social connection with physical movement is a match made in oxytocin heaven.

9 – Listen to music

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Music has the power to stir the soul and connect people, and studies suggest oxytocin may play a role. Research shows that listening to relaxing music or singing led to a significant increase in oxytocin levels.

Social connection only amps up those effects. So play a fun playlist at your next family dinner. Or do some carpool karaoke as you drive your kids to school. Put on some tunes and soak up those good vibes.

10 – Get a massage

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Massage isn’t just relaxing—it triggers a cascade of feel-good chemicals in your brain. It reduces cortisol while boosting happy hormones like serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin.

That’s why getting a massage can leave you feeling so calm, connected, and blissful.

And it’s not just the one receiving the massage who benefits. Research suggests giving a massage can also increase oxytocin, making it a win-win for everyone. So whether you book a massage therapy session or trade massages with your partner, you’ll get a dose of those warm, fuzzy feelings.

Boost Oxytocin Naturally with A Therapeutic Massage in Orland Park, IL

Looking for a natural way to let go of stress and feel more relaxed? Consider treating yourself to a massage.

A professional massage session does way more than relieve muscle tension. It reduces stress hormones and stimulates oxytocin release—leaving you calm, balanced, and connected.

At Anchored in Health in Orland Park IL, our expert massage therapist customizes each session to suit your unique needs. Whether you’re looking to reduce anxiety, ease sore muscles, or simply indulge in self-care, our team is here to help.

So if you live in the Chicago area and are ready to give your body and mind the love they deserve, follow these steps:

Contact us with questions.
Book your massage therapy session here.
Experience how massage therapy can help you feel more relaxed and in love with life!

Other Wellness Services Offered at Anchored in Health in Orland Park, IL

At our holistic health clinic in the Chicago area, we offer a wide range of services to support your health and well-being. This includes acupuncture, chiropractic care, functional medicine, and the Shape ReClaimed program. We also offer functional tools like thermography, genetic testing, and vibrant wellness testing. Reach out today to learn how we can support your journey to a healthier, happier you!