Manhattan Music School Doesn’t Kiss and Tell

Not Just Lip Service, at Manhattan Music School

You might think that July is a quiet month and, in some ways, it is. Those lazy, hazy days of summer put all of us in a relaxing mood. Still, this doesn’t mean that there are no exciting events taking place this month. The 4th of July is one such occasion, celebrated all across the country, from sea to shining sea. But there is more: today there is another, though certainly lesser known, event: July 6 marks the International Kissing Day, also called World Kiss Day.

You get the idea: on this day, the art of locking lips is celebrated all over the world. Needless to say, there are many different forms of smooching – from friendly cheek pecks and chivalrous hand kissing, to the romantic locking of the lips.

A kiss is not just a kiss…

Germaphobes will argue that kissing is unhygienic because it spreads germs, bacteria, and viruses from one person to another. If that were truly the case, wouldn’t the human race have disappeared from the planet long ago? We prefer to believe that kissing is good for us. In fact, there is plenty of evidence showing numerous benefits – both physical and emotional – of kissing. For instance:

• By dilating blood vessels, kissing may help reduce blood pressure. The dilation effect may also help to relieve pain.
• For obvious reasons, it releases your happy hormones like serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin.
• A vigorous kiss may burn anywhere from 10 to 15 calories. Kiss 20 times a day, and there goes that chocolate bar.
• It tones your facial muscles, particularly those around your mouth and jaw.

Now, all that is great, but what we like best about this business of kissing is that its benefits resemble those you get from music training. For example, just as smooching lowers your blood pressure and releases mood-boosting endorphins, so does playing an instrument. And yes, it also burns calories. What about toning your facial muscles? That’s a no-brainer! Do you really think you can play the flute, saxophone, trumpet, or harmonica without giving your face a good workout?

Work your muscles!

Now, our teachers are not the kissing types, but they obviously know all about the benefits of music training – those mentioned above and others. If you wish to take July 6 off to celebrate International Kissing Day with your loved one(s), go ahead. But don’t forget to book music lessons for the rest of the summer in the comfort of your Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale home or office. With kissing AND music, you will have a dual advantage – “double the pleasure, double the fun!”

Photo by unknown, available under Creative Commons License