14/12/2021
Sometimes you just have to stop what
you’re doing, get on the floor and pet the dog :)
Oxytocin debate aside the science behind social connection is great to dive into whilst existing in this post pandemic / still slightly isolated world.
Neuromodulators like 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐧 are released when we see someone we know, love or trust - this can be pets, friends, lovers or family.
There is no scientific evidence to say it has to be a specific type of connection or familiar - it all does the same thing for your brain.
Serotonin is tied to social connection and attachment - mitigating stress, improving our immune system and neural repair, regulating our nervous system, increasing our sense of well-being and creating a feeling of being and having ‘enough’.
𝐀 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚
𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞, 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐭.
We are social species and when lockdowns / isolations are threatened or imposed we are denying our basic needs as human beings.
Spending time with family - chosen or biological, getting down on the floor to hug your dog, going for a walk with a friend, putting your phone in your pocket when you’re in company - these are all ways we can promote connection and boost serotonin levels every day.
When you spend time connecting to others (or with your pet) you can notice how it changes your mood, how your smile gets a little bigger, your breath slows and your hugs last a little longer.
Your hard edges start to soften.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 : 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞,
𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐠𝐬, 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜.
Always xoxox
🐶 Indie Eco Belfast
