You don’t need to rely on the touch of others to boost your oxytocin levels – practising self-massage, even for a short amount of time, can help to deliver a healthy dose of the stuff.

“When we practise physical touch, we activate nerve endings that send a signal to both our nervous and endocrine [hormone-releasing] systems,” explains Beata Aleksandrowicz, a massage expert.

“That is why touch is so therapeutic. We often see touch as something we receive from others, but massage and self-massage is such a great way of providing ourselves with not only all the goodness that touch brings to our body but also to our mind and emotions.”

Facial massage – using tools like a jade roller or gua sha – is a great place to start if you’ve never tried self-massage before, but there are plenty of tips out there to help you get started.

How to boost your oxytocin levels: 4 techniques that don’t involve hugging