Why foot massage by hand could boost your love life…

A TEN-minute foot massage could be the way to your loved one’s heart, according to new research that shows squeezing and rubbing the feet causes a surge in the feelgood ‘cuddle hormone’ oxytocin.

In the study, 40 adult males received ten minutes of light foot massage, either by hand or a massage machine.

Blood samples were taken before and after, and levels of oxytocin were measured. It is released by the body during childbirth and breastfeeding, when we cuddle, and during orgasm. Levels were boosted in the blood by up to 51 per cent after the hand-administered massage, compared to 18 per cent after machine-administered massage. The concentration of nerves in the feet is thought to be a reason they are so sensitive.