Good conversations happen through the mouth, and even better ones happen with the lips. Kissing someone you’re attracted to might make you feel all kinds of things. But most of all, it makes you feel light-headed, weak and dizzy. Now, I understand this might be an overwhelming feeling for someone having their first kiss, but fear not because there is science behind it.

The reason why we feel weak after kissing is due to the release of “happy hormones” like oxytocin, dopamine, serotonin and endorphins in our bloodstream. Kissing someone also leads to an increase in adrenaline levels, a drop in cortisol levels and a spike in the heart rate and blood flow in the body.

Kissing is oddly intoxicating. Therefore, you might’ve wanted to know why kissing makes you feel the way it does. Read on to find out.

Reasons Why Kissing Makes Us Feel Weak

1. Happy hormones unleashed

After a good smooch session with your partner, you might find yourself swooning. This is due to the burst of hormones in your brain.

When kissing, neurons first release dopamine, which is probably the most well-known neurotransmitter.

Dopamine is known to be a “feel-good neurotransmitter” that the brain releases during intimate moments or when you eat something you’ve been craving for a long time.

Dopamine paired with serotonin, oxytocin (‘the love hormone’) and endorphins makes you feel like you’re walking on cloud nine, which is probably why you experience lightheadedness and “weak in the knees”.

2. Feel an adrenaline rush?

It is normal for you to feel nervous when you first lean in for the long-awaited kiss. This is largely due to the adrenaline and norepinephrine that your brain releases in this situation.

These two together put you in “fight or flight” mode. However, the situation might require you to act.

Now, if you are to kiss someone you really like, it is likely that your brain releases adrenaline that puts you in a fit of nervousness, gives you “butterflies” and gets your blood rushing.

The anticipation and newness of it all make your brain release norepinephrine, which probably explains the nerves you get when you lean in for the kiss.

3. Spiked heart rate

It has been noted that kissing can help you burn up to three calories per minute. That is as good as a workout for a good makeout session.

If we equate kissing to exercise, it is pretty obvious that kissing does, in fact, lead to a spike in heart rate. If you think making out is simply for your satisfaction, I’d suggest you think again.

A good makeout session can turn into a mini cardio routine which can help you burn a good amount of calories.

A spike in your heart rate leads to burning a good amount of calories, which in turn leads you to feel slightly tired and weak.

4. Increased heart rate

When you first lean in for a smooch, you likely feel a tingling sensation throughout your body.

This is simply due to the fact that if you’re really into this person, their kisses can send “shock waves” throughout your body, and your body experiences an increase in blood flow.

Increased blood flow leads to a “tingling” sensation in your nerve endings, including your chest and genitalia.

An increase in your blood flow also causes you to feel a certain amount of heat in your cheeks and your chest, which makes you feel warm and fuzzy and gives you those butterflies that make you feel weak.

5. Elevated moods

A good makeout session leads your brain to activate a multitude of happy hormones, including dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin. These hormones help you to feel joyful.

According to the British council, kissing can help activate that part of the brain that lights up when someone consumes narcotic drugs like cocaine or heroin.

As a result of the same, we experience feelings of euphoria and addictive behavior.

Your lips are the most sensitive part of your body, and when you kiss, all the dopamine and oxytocin affect that part of the brain that gets active during addictions or a high.

The feeling of a high is one of the reasons why you feel weak and dizzy after a good makeout session.

6. Giddiness because of hormonal overdrive

When you’re attached to someone, the thought of kissing them fills you with butterflies, and you begin to feel your palms sweat.

Now, kissing someone you’re into causes your brain to release hormones and your heart to flutter.

Dopamine

Dopamine is a neurohormone (both a neurotransmitter and a hormone) generated in your brain that acts like a messenger between nerve endings. It is also sometimes known as a chemical messenger.

Other than that, dopamine also affects how we view pleasure. It is a part of your reward system, meaning it “rewards” you when you carry out activities of basic necessities like eating, drinking or mating.

When you kiss someone you like, your brain releases a huge amount of this neurohormone, making you feel good and wanting more of the same feeling.

Oxytocin

Oxytocin is a hormone produced by the hypothalamus and secreted into the bloodstream by the pituitary gland in your brain.

Besides being an important hormone facilitating childbirth, it is also a chemical messenger of your brain that influences multiple human behaviors like arousal, trust and romantic attachment.

Oxytocin is also known as the “love hormone” as it attaches itself to feelings of intimacy and love. The doses of oxytocin are highest when you hug someone, kiss, or experience an orgasm.

Serotonin

Serotonin is a neurohormone that influences the several elements in your body, including the ability to learn, sleep and mating.

Serotonin, in the human body, cannot single-handedly influence your responses and emotions during an intimate moment. Therefore, it combines with dopamine to boost your desire for your partner.

A mix of all these emotions is most likely to cause you to feel giddy and weak when you find yourself in a heated makeout sesh with your partner.

7. Comfortable or not?

When kissing, you and your partner are both in an extremely vulnerable state wherein both of you depend on each other.

Owing to the dizziness stemming from the overdrive of neurohormones, it is quite likely that you might question whether you’re comfortable with your partner.

In such situations, you try to observe how your partner conducts themselves when kissing you. If they try to make you feel as comfortable as possible, it is quite obvious that you feel overwhelmed and weak.

8. Muscular relaxation

Kissing someone, especially if you’re into them, can cause you to feel relaxed and less anxious.

According to multiple studies, it was found that after you get the initial smooch from your desired one, the cortisol levels in your body drop drastically, making you feel relaxed and less anxious.

Due to the drop in cortisol and the boost in hormone excretion, it is likely that feelings of love and repose will wash you up. As your body goes liquid, your leg muscles also ease some of their burdens.

9. Outlet for happy hormones

After a sweet kiss with your partner, it is quite likely that you must’ve giggled. This is a response to the overt release of happy hormones into your bloodstream.

Releasing these happy hormones can help relieve your muscles, lower stress and make you feel “at home” and easy with your partner.  

Conclusion

Kissing is truly magical, especially when you have the opportunity to kiss someone you are genuinely attracted to.

With all the reasons why you feel weak when you kiss, it would now be easier for you to understand and analyze why a good kiss makes you feel weak and dizzy.

Look out for these signs to ensure you enjoy the kiss to the fullest!