We love a good shortcut and TikTok is full of them, including one that claims to boost your relationship in just a few seconds. It’s called the “6-second kiss rule” and it’s exactly what it sounds like - you just smooch with your partner for at least six seconds every single day. But can a hack this simple actually work to help your relationship? TikTokers say it does and research backs it up.
The 6-second kiss rule was created by John Gottman, a psychologist and marriage and family therapist who’s been researching relationships for more than 40 years with his wife, Julie Schwartz Gottman. Their research has found that small gestures to show your significant other love throughout the day have a big impact on couples’ long-term happiness and success. Gottman explains, “People who really enjoy their sex life generally do these small things that have nothing to do with what goes on in the bedroom.”
It’s really all about doing things that boost oxytocin, a hormone that helps couples bond and feel trusting of each other. Kissing for at least six seconds or hugging for 20 seconds both trigger the release of oxytocin, but that’s the minimum time it takes, so you don’t have to stop there. Gottman points out that it’s a way to make sure people connect in a meaningful way, so you should just “relax and enjoy the kiss.”
Source: USA Today