While a kiss has always been regarded as a sign of love, or anything along those lines, recent studies reveal that there’s more to it than we might have initially thought. Not only is it “the beginning of a beautiful friendship,” as they say, but this sometimes-underestimated gesture of human affection also has the most beneficial effects on the body. So you might as well start practicing today.  

 

One of these positive effects is that it tones up facial muscles, and helps in fighting wrinkles and visible signs of exhaustion by stimulating the circulation of blood to the face. Acting in a way similar to that of the facial exercises we were telling you about yesterday, it has been scientifically proven that, while a simple peck only engages two muscles, a more intense kiss requires almost all face muscles. This, combined with the rush of adrenaline and the release of neurotransmitters, helps burn calories faster than you might think.

 

As a matter of fact, recent kissing experiments seem to indicate that an average-sized person can lose up to a pound over a short period of time, by simply taking an active part in three kisses a day, each at least five seconds long. Aside from burning calories in a fun way, it has been shown that kissing also stimulates cardiovascular activity, lowers cholesterol and decreases high blood pressure.

 

However, there’s even more to the beneficial effects of kissing than what we have just mentioned above. Because of the exchange of saliva that takes place, it is also believed to boost the immune system, in that it naturally encourages one’s organism to find the proper ways of fighting the bacteria one is being exposed to. In this regard, kissing is basically like a sort of “vaccine,” only much pleasanter, experts say.

On a final note, kissing is also known for reducing stress, preventing the formation of dental plaque and cavities, curing hiccups and, of course, for proving that, sometimes, two heads are, indeed, better than one. Furthermore, statistics show an average person spends an estimated 20,160 minutes of their lives locking lips – if you reckon you’re a bit behind on that, and you truly want to experience all the positive effects kissing has on the body, it might be a good idea if you started acting on it already.