Oxytocin , affectionately known as the cuddle chemical or love hormone, is said to release when two people spoon. So is dopamine and serotonin. The hormone oxytocin can promote bonding and is associated with a number of other benefits , including pain and stress relief. Dopamine, meanwhile, appears through rewarding actions. And serotonin can help regulate everything from mood to appetite and sleep. If you have a hard time sleeping, some research suggests that oxytocin may play a beneficial role — especially for those with conditions like sleep apnea.
Spooning is said to help the nervous system relax and reduce blood pressure, allowing people to feel calm. Sounds obvious, but lying close to a partner can enhance the bond — both physical and emotional — between you.
In fact, this is the reason why lots of new couples may choose to spoon each and every night. Not necessarily. Instead, they can incorporate toys or fingers. Remain communicative with your partner , and let each other know when things feel just right.
The best way to describe spooning is to lie on your side and wrap your partner in a big hug, with your arm resting over their waist.
But there is no hard-and-fast rule. Any person can be the big or small spoon, no matter their gender or orientation. For example, some find being the small spoon more comforting.
Honestly, spooning all night long can be uncomfortable. Necks and arms can ache and feel numb, not to mention the heat produced from two warm bodies. But if you do want to make it through the night, try moving your arms into a more comfortable position. Here are a few similar positions that might feel better. In this position, both people remain side hugging. But the little spoon curls up like a baby, allowing the big spoon to stretch their legs out.
This one involves the same amount of intimacy , but both partners face each other. The big spoon effectively stays in the same position while the little spoon turns around to face them, lying in a fetal position. Penetration can occur vaginally or anally, with toys or without, adds Ashley Cobb , sex toy educator and Lovehoney expert. And it's worth noting that body size has nothing to do with who is acting as the "big" or "little" spoon.
Whichever way you choose to indulge, "this position provides a sense of closeness and the opportunity for full-body stimulation," says Fleming. Sounds pretty nice, right? Keep reading for more reasons to love the spooning sex position.
The spooning sex position is super intimate and doesn't require a lot of physical exertion — so it's great for the morning or evening right before falling asleep, explains Fleming. Essentially, the opposite of these sex positions that double as exercise. Even being on all fours, in doggy-style , you're using your arms and your legs to hold up your body and I think that that can distract from the pleasure.
You don't have to deal with that in the spooning position. Spooning doesn't require too much work from either partner and is one of the few sex positions that provide full-body contact read: allll the physical touch without too much contorting, so you can get really close to your partner while staying comfortable and feeling natural.
Fun fact that you hopefully already know : Two out of three women don't achieve climax from penetration alone , says Fleming. That makes this hands-free position a great option for people who need clitoral stimulation to achieve orgasm. For example, "the little spoon's upper leg in this position can be used to provide good leverage by wrapping it around the other partner," explains Fleming. This can give the little spoon a little more control over pacing. Or, "if the little spoon moves their top leg all the way open so they're all the way on their back, their partner can hold the top leg, which gives them leverage.
If you want to keep it pretty chill, the little spoon can instead curl their knees toward their chest. Think of this version as more of a cuddle, while leg lifting and wrapping can get things a little more steamy. Good sex is partially about the angle, says Fleming. If you have a vagina and are engaging in the spooning sex position as the little spoon, there's good news: This angle of penetration naturally tilts the pelvis in a way that's perfect for hitting the internal erogenous zones in the vagina , says Cobb.
After this, there was a further 10 minutes of post-contact rest by themselves. The researchers discovered a strong link between between the partner support and higher oxytocin levels. This was the same for both men and women in the study. But as well as having psychological benefits, it also has secondary physical impacts on the body that produces serious health benefits.
Research published in the Journal of Biological Psychology found that this higher level of oxytocin was linked to lower blood pressure and heart rate — especially in premenopausal women. They discovered that those who had more frequent hugs with their partner had higher oxytocin levels.
In addition to this, they found lower blood pressure and lower resting heart rate than others. The release of this hormone has also been proven to reduce stress, ease pain and improve your immune system.
According to a study from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences , department of Animal Physiology, this is because oxytocin reduces cortisol levels in the human body — the hormone that causes stress — and reduces blood pressure. For the same reason, spooning can also be a natural anxiety remedy. The combination of oxytocin-induced low cortisol levels and low blood pressure puts the body in a anxiolytic-like state. And even better, people who repeatedly had high levels of oxytocin experienced these physical and psychological benefits in the long-term too.
In addition to this, oxytocin promotes growth and wound healing. This is because it plays a major role in the process of angiogenesis. Both of these situations have links with lower oxytocin levels. But how much spooning do you need to do for these incredible effects?
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