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Flower Arrangements

54 OXYTOCIN BOOSTERS

'FEEL GOOD' NEUROCHEMICAL & HORMONE

 

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"OXYTOCIN IS in opposition to stress hormones... oxytocin feels good... stress hormones and anxiety do not feel good."

Patricia Churchland

LOW LEVELS OF OXYTOCIN

Low levels of oxytocin are associated with several conditions, including severe depression and anxiety disorders, heartbreak, OCD, ADHD, PTSD, aggression and conduct disorders, eating disorders, relationship dysfunction, codependency patterns, personality disorders, substance and process addictions, chronic inflammatory conditions, autoimmune conditions and stress-related medical diseases.
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Low oxytocin can be the result of not having enough: (1) loving action towards yourself, (2) loving action towards others, (3) mutually beneficial social interactions, (4) enjoyable activities, (5) time in nature, or (6) meeting your social survival needs - including an overall Sense of Belonging and Purpose (see worksheet below). It is empowering to realize these are all aspects you can add to your daily life.
Mother and Daughter Love
Yoga Class

WHAT IS OXYTOCIN?

Oxytocin is a powerful hormone and neurotransmitter involved with bonding and self-love. Oxytocin plays a key role in feeling good and at ease. It is involved with feeling love, self-love, bonding, trust, positive social interactions, feeling full (literally from food), and feeling a sense of belonging. Oxytocin communicates with the nervous system to allow for calm. Oxytocin is also connected to, and even modulates serotonin and dopamine. This trio of neurotransmitters is referred to as the “happy hormones.” 
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Oxytocin has the power to regulate our emotional responses and self-compassion, self-love and pro-social behaviors, including trust, empathy and positive memories. Thanks to oxytocin, we get a toasty, tranquil feeling when we’re with the people we care about, including self-care activities. The more we engage in these feel-good behaviors, the more oxytocin we get. 

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Yoga Friends

THE MORE THE BETTER

The more oxytocin you produce on a daily basis, the more it produces naturally, as it involves neuroplasticity. When our 'oxytocin bucket' is full we feel more fulfilled and balanced. It is also involved with feeling trust for yourself and others.
 
More oxytocin, more trust and connection. More trust and connection, more oxytocin and loving feelings. It's an upward positive trajectory. Increasing oxytocin typically requires loving-action or social interaction.

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LOVE IS A VERB, OXYTOCIN THE RESULT. THUS, lOVING ACTION IS THE CAUSE, OXYTOCIN THE EFFECT. LIKEWISE, OXYTOCIN IS THE CAUSE, LOVE THE EFFECT.

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OXYTOCIN PRODUCTION

HELP OXYTOCIN HELP YOU

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54 PROVEN WAYS TO INCREASE OXYTOCIN LEVELS

Painting

1Kind eye contact - even with strangers

2Random creativity - paint, drum, doodle, etc.

3Surprise someone with a gift 

4Being trusted by being trustworthy

5Openhearted Listening with curiosity

6Do nothing, daydream for 5 mins, sit under a tree, etc.

7Speak your genuine wants and dreams with someone you trust

8Laugh, watch comedies, tell jokes, etc.

9Play, like how kids play! Being spontaneous and silly releases oxytocin; but don't force happy when your sad - faking happy has opposite impact (See #10)

10Cry when you feel like crying (suppressing emotions lowers oxytocin, experiencing them increases it)

11Pet your pet for at least 5 minutes

12Receive gifts and kindness with gratitude

13Daily gratitude journal

14Conscious deep breathing (shallow breathing ignites fight/flight response and stress chemicals)

15Breathing Exercises, like Square Breathing

16Quality time with friends or loved ones

17Share a meal with friends or loved ones

18Words of encouragement to yourself 

19Words of encouragement to another

20Receive words of encouragement 

21Daily allowance of Magnesium, Vitamins C and D

Girl with Dogs

"oxytocin facilitates a specific form of present-moment awareness – the feeling of becoming fully immersed in one's experience."

Walter Piper, PhD

Image by Roberto Nickson

22Lactobacillus reuteri increases oxytocin

23Daily melatonin supplement 500 mcg

24Massage - giving and receiving

25Inner Child Meditation

26Journal, free-write, Inner Connecting

27Mindful Self-Compassion practices

28Meditate for others, Metta Meditation

29Pray and praying for others

30Walk outside 

31Tell those you love, you love them

32Enjoy a warm bath or shower, bath is better

A 20 SECOND HUG RELEASES OXYTOCIN, NATURE'S ANTIDEPRESSANT and ANTIANXIETY HORMONE.

33Hug for 20 seconds 8 hugs a day is ideal 

34Random acts of kindness, give to a charity

35Creative focus, garden, read, etc.

36Watch a movie (with character development)

37Jasmine and lavender essential oil scents

38Exercise in warm temperatures, sweating

39Yoga stimulates the vagus nerve for oxytocin

40Sing for 30 minutes

41Prepare and eat brightly colored food

42Taste your food, receptors in your mouth  stimulate oxytocin

43Mindfully experience feeling full - when food reaches your gut, a hormone is released from the intestines that activates the vagus nerve, stimulating oxytocin

Smiling Friends
Woman Preparing Food

44Being outside in nature

45Listen to slow-tempo music

46Cuddle with someone you care about

47 Hold hands with someone you care about

48Do something exciting with someone, like a road trip, shooting guns or riding a rollercoaster  

49Tandem skydiving - a 200% oxytocin spike!

50Acts of service, like making dinner 

51Say thank you, give appreciation

52Simple Comforts and Action-Oriented Self-Care

53Empowering Emotions in present moment

54Sex (women get an oxytocin boost - resulting in bonding; men get a dopamine rush - resulting in 'wanting more', and only get an oxytocin boost with those they've already formed an emotional bond with)

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SELF-LOVE PRACTICES + DAILY WORKSHEET

Social Survival Needs
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ACTION-ORIENTED
SELF-LOVE

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daily simple comforts

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SOCIAL SURVIVAL NEEDS

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