How to release endorphins and oxytocin?
Stress, pain, energy… How do endorphins and oxytocin improve your everyday life?
As the hormones of happiness, they may well live up to their name!
While everyday actions encourage their secretion (sports sessions, emotional relationships…), an original and natural method could give them a significant boost so that you can enjoy their many benefits…
1. High cortisol: reduce stress!
When we are stressed, our bodies register high levels of cortisol, a symptom of stress. This is why we also call cortisol the ‘stress hormone’. So a ‘stress attack’ will produce a spike in cortisol.
Produced suddenly, this hormone can block lipolysis and thus be responsible for fat storage.
There are a few things you can do on a daily basis to reduce stress and cortisol production:
- Massage to relieve tension
- Sleep to reduce stress-inducing fatigue
- Meditation for personal balance
- Nature walks to recharge your batteries
- Cardiac coherence for better emotional management
Another less well-known approach is just as effective in combating stress: boosting oxytocin!
This hormone of attachment and happiness helps to reduce cortisol.
So boosting your oxytocin levels is an effective way of relaxing and de-stressing, through a simple exchange of hormones in the body.
If stress prevents you from sleeping or even triggers insomnia, getting rid of it will also help you sleep better.
2. Endorphin, a natural morphine to relieve pain
Endorphins, released by the hypothalamus and pituitary gland into the nervous system, are pleasure hormones. They lead to a state of well-being and even euphoria!
What triggers it? Physical or psychological stress: sport, pain, anxiety, anger, etc.
Endorphins can be produced as a defence mechanism against negative stress, or in a more beneficial way through positive behaviours such as sport or massage.
The interesting approach is to know how to trigger them in a positive way, so as to achieve even greater well-being!
What effect does it have on pain?
The term ‘endorphin’ is a contraction of ‘endogenous’ and ‘morphine’, so the word itself gives an indication of its role in pain management!
Endorphins are opioids secreted naturally by the body.
Its major advantage over morphine is that it does not create a physical dependency: endorphins remain natural, endogenous hormones!
On the other hand, it is quite possible to fall under the spell of its effects on our well-being…
3. Oxytocin: energy boost and fat-burning effect
Considered to be the attachment hormone, oxytocin is secreted during emotional relationships: cuddling, massage, parent/child relationships, etc.
What if oxytocin could also have an effect on your figure?
Several studies have established links between low oxytocin production and obesity. Others have gone further and shown that oxytocin can activate brown fat: fat-burning fat!
Read all about it and the studies in detail on the Brown Fat blog:
The role of oxytocin in activating brown fat
Acupressure: an original method for boosting endorphins and oxytocin
Carried out using acupressure cushions and mats, acupressin encourages the natural release of endorphins and oxytocin, leading to an optimal level of well-being.
On contact with the pimples on the acupressure mat, the body sends a message to the brain triggering the production of endorphins.
In just one acupressure session lasting around twenty minutes, the body is freed from pain, but also from stress-related tension!
For example, back pain is one of the reasons why 80% of Climsom Zen acupressure mats are purchased, with a 97% satisfaction rate.
The contact and massage of the pimples on the spine also encourages the release of oxytocin. This has been proven in various studies (1)(2).
So the acupressure mat helps to reduce stress, and also becomes an ally in weight loss because :
- massages, including acupressure, reduce stress and thus cortisol, the hormone that prevents lipolysis (fat melting) and encourages fat storage.
- the secretion of endorphins generates well-being (even euphoria) and reduces stress, further lowering cortisol levels.
- oxytocin activates brown fat, which helps white fat to melt away, and thus acts on obesity.
- oxytocin therefore produces a synergistic effect by reducing cortisol, which itself blocks fat loss, while activating brown fat, which stimulates lipolysis.
Acupressure is also a good way of managing anxiety. In fact, 15 minutes a day is enough to relax and regain psychological balance over the long term.
In fact, 48% of Climsom Zen acupressure mat users have used it to relieve stress.
Set up a space in which you feel good (pleasant surroundings, music, candles, incense, etc.) and combine meditation and acupressure: lie down on your Climsom Zen acupressure mat, relax your neck, shoulders and jaw and concentrate on your breathing.
The Climsom Zen acupressure mat comes with a detailed booklet. It includes relaxation and breathing exercises.
(1) YAHYA, F., et al., 2019. Potential combination of back massage therapy and acupressure as complementary therapy in postpartum women for the increase in the hormone oxytocin.
(2) MORHENN, V., et al., 2012. Massage Increases Oxytocin and Reduces Adrenocorticotropin Hormone in Humans.
Tip: how to choose the right acupressure mat?
You May Also Like
How to use an acupressure mat effectively?
Cervical pain: acupressure for relieving neck pain
