5 scientific reasons why kissing is good for you

From natural pain relief to the well-known feelgood factor, here are a handful of great reasons to pucker up

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Liz Connor6 January 2017

As if you needed an excuse to seek out a kiss, it turns out that locking lips actually has some real health benefits - from boosting your immunity to relieving stress.

So next time you wake up with a sore head and regrets over who you smooched last night, here are five great reasons to be thankful for the experience.

1. It can boost your immune system

Want to make it through cold season alive? Start kissing. It may not sound particularly hygienic, but swapping spit with your kissing partner is a great way to fend off viruses - especially if all that kissing leads to sex. Research from the journal Medical Hypotheses suggests that women build up immunity against the cytomegalovirus (CMV) by locking lips with a partner that might be infected. Another separate study from Wilkes University found that people who have sex once or twice a week have higher levels of the infection-fighting antibody immunoglobulin A.

2. It can reduce your risk of allergies

Kissing can also be helpful in the summer months. According to a Japanese study, couples who kiss for at least 30 minutes reduce levels of the allergen called IgE. These are proteins that result to irritating allergic reactions like sneezing and sniffling.

3. It can burn calories

Skip your next gym session because as well as getting your heart racing, a vigorous kiss can burn a whopping 8-16 calories.

4. It decreases stress levels

Is your daily commute making you irritable? Next time you’re feeling on edge, grab your partner and give them a peck or two. Research says that kissing lowers stress levels and can help you feel calmer and more relaxed. The reason for this is that kissing increases levels of oxytocin and endorphins in the body, helping you to feel at ease.

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5. It can lower pain

The endorphins that kissing release are also are powerful pain relievers, so when you kiss, your tolerance to minor aches and pains may increase. Next time you feel a headache coming on, rather than reaching for the painkilers - do yourself a favour and plant one on somebody.