Arizona researchers say kissing leads to longer life

TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) - A kiss is more than just a kiss. It could actually help you live longer.

Researchers at the University of Arizona found that kissing reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol and even lowers cholesterol levels.

Among their findings though, perhaps the most shocking is that couples who kiss goodbye every morning live an average of five years longer than those who don't.

One Tucson couple, Dana and Bill Adolph, have been married for four years.

It seems impossible, but they claim to kiss more than 30 times a day and will not leave the house or say goodnight without locking lips.

A couple that kisses that frequently is probably in tip-top shape according to another study.

A quick romantic kiss burns about 2 to 3 calories while a more passionate kiss burns 5 or more calories, depending on the passion and duration.

These findings are only the beginning for the research team though, the University of Arizona will continue to study the benefits of kissing and publish a complete study in the near future.