Your Brain During a First Kiss

K-I-S-S-I-N-G. Snogging, making out, swapping spit. It’s strange, but we all do it. We kiss to show affection, express love, or just because it feels good. The best kisses make us feel like we left our bodies, but even if we feel like we’re on autopilot, our brains are doing a lot of work—especially if this is your first kiss with someone!  So, what is your brain doing during a kiss?

Cue the nervous jitters.

You know that moment where you’re looking at your partner and you’re both like, “Is this about to happen?” At that point, you may feel like your stomach is doing flip flops and your heart is racing. This is all thanks to the stress hormone norepinephrine that your brain fires up in anticipation. Fight, flight, or kiss? We know what we’re doing.

Turning Red? Welcome to Oxygen Flush.

While kissing, you may feel your cheeks flush. Nervousness could have something to do with it, but it’s mostly because your blood vessels are dilating and sending extra oxygen to your brain. Our pupils also dilate, which could be the reason it’s more comfortable to close our eyes. Cute, right? 

Is this my soulmate or my oxytocin? 

The reason kissing feels so good can be attributed to the release of oxytocin, sometimes referred to as the love hormone, because it stirs up feelings of affection and attachment. This is the same hormone that women feel during childbirth and breast-feeding, so it’s pretty powerful stuff.  

That feels…really good.

That would be dopamine—the happy hormone! As if oxytocin weren’t enough, our brains go into overdrive producing dopamine. Dopamine affects your brain’s reward pathways, making you want to kiss longer and more frequently. The release of dopamine makes us feel giddy or euphoric, so it’s no wonder we love to lock lips. 

To mate or not to mate?

Kissing has been shown to be a way for women to size-up a potential mate. If the kiss didn’t feel right, it’s probably not going to end in sex. On the other hand, if it’s a great kiss, this can increase the odds of hitting the sheets. Interestingly, the more saliva exchanged, the higher the arousal. Kind of cool, kind of gross.

 

So, there you have it. When we kiss someone for the first time, our brains throw a hormone cocktail party. Kissing feels good and reduces stress, so of course we’re coming back for more. Mwah!