February 8, 2012
Cupid’s
month is upon us and each of us is called upon to choose his or her Valentine
and lavish them with affection befitting of their place in our heart. And so we scurry about searching for last
minute flowers or sweets for our honey in a pell-mell society that seems to
turn happy celebrations into aggravating obligations. If this is how it’s shaping up for you then I
encourage you to gently stroke your cat or gaze deep into the eyes of your dog.
Why? Well it seems that the closest thing we have
to Cupid’s arrow, the dart of love that penetrates our heart and fills us with
amity, is a hormone called oxytocin. If
ever there was a Love Potion Number Nine, oxytocin is it. The natural secretion of oxytocin from the pituitary
gland at the base of the brain has profound effects on our outlook and
behavior. Oxytocin was initially
identified as the chemical mediator in birthing mothers that stimulates contractions of the uterus and the production of milk in the mammary
glands. In the last thirty years researchers
have come to realize that oxytocin also stimulates powerful feelings of warmth
and compassion toward likely recipients of our affection. It not only compels mothers to bond with a
suckling baby, but oxytocin just as powerfully influences men toward higher
levels of amorous attraction and
tenderness.
As it turns out, nothing
stimulates the release of oxytocin into our system like the affection of our
pets. Petting a cat (the magic rate here
seems to be 40 strokes a minute) or even just gazing into the eyes of our dog
has been shown to result in high volume release of oxytocin, resulting in
feelings of well-being and compassion.
Additional benefits of chronic interaction with our pets include a
bolstered immune system and enhanced recovery from serious afflictions like
heart disease.
Children saddled with autism
have impaired ability to read social cues communicated through body language,
which are so important in the interactions between two people, a skill that is
greatly facilitated by oxytocin. When
these children are allowed close association with pets, their oxytocin levels
rise along with concomitant improvement in social cognition. Simply put, autistics learn better how to
interact with others when they have a pet.
Science has shown that pets are
not lavish extravagances in our lives.
They enhance our sense of well being, protect us from disease and make
us more compassionate toward other people.
They improve the lives of the handicapped, alleviate loneliness in the elderly
and enhance family cohesiveness. These
effects are mediated through the magic hormone, oxytocin.
Finally, here’s my little
February tip to all the single guys out there:
Walk your dog in the park on a nice weekend afternoon and watch how the
girls smile at you. Cupid could do no
better.
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