As Valentine 's Day approaches, the atmosphere is filled with love and lightness . Enjoying doing new things together, enjoying the moment together, is an opportunity to understand why love makes us feel so good .
What happens in our body when we fall in love?
Do butterflies in the stomach ring a bell? This phenomenon is so common when we fall in love because our hormones are somewhat disrupted by this wave of emotions . Produced continuously in our bodies, they are sensitive to the events of our daily lives, including a cocktail of three hormones: adrenaline , dopamine , and oxytocin , also known as the “ happy hormones .”
Adrenaline
It is produced in response to a stressful event (physical activity, intense emotion, etc.), by increasing heart rate , blood pressure and blood flow , to allow the body to react better in an emergency. Furthermore, it is the source of the feeling of euphoria during a date or the expectation of finding one's partner.
Dopamine
Also known as the “ pleasure hormone,” it is produced by some of our neurons and is responsible for the functioning of the reward circuit . It modulates feelings and desires as a kind of reward to encourage us to repeat the behavior—in other words, it makes us “ addicted ” to pleasure, or in this case, to the presence of the one you love.
Oxytocin
Produced by a small part of the brain called the “hypothalamus,” it plays an important role in the activity of reward circuits by interacting with dopamine . Produced in a continuous flow in the body, it participates in strengthening social bonds by modulating empathy , altruism and even trust . Its flow is driven by events such as a simple kiss or orgasms , but also during childbirth or breastfeeding , which cause its production to surge.
💡The reward circuit is the control center of our emotions, desires and pleasures, ensured by hormones like dopamine.
Beyond the euphoria generated by the feeling of love, benefits for the body appear, such as the reduction of stress or even the improvement of the quality of sleep, thus making love good for health .
Stress? Anxiety? I don't remember.
When a peak of stress or anxiety occurs, these 3 hormones will naturally be produced by the body as natural anti-stressors . This release of hormones by the brain is influenced by love , which will produce them in a more increased way, leaving no room for stress and anxiety. Thanks to them, the cardiovascular system is improved, the body is then more relaxed, thus preventing muscle contractures and lowering tension in the body.
Making love, what benefits!
Aside from butterflies in the stomach, sweet words and hugs, the benefits of love are also found through the act of love . In addition to its calorie-burning effect, intimate intercourse also promotes the production of analgesic hormones, thus improving sleep , muscular and mental relaxation, but also the release of endorphins , acting as painkillers, particularly to reduce migraine symptoms. The immune system is also strengthened thanks to the exchange of bacteria through the mouth.
Unsuspected effects of “living together”
In addition to the general feeling of well-being of living with one's partner, studies have been conducted to observe its impact on health in general.
Indeed, living as a couple can have an impact on the lifestyle of both partners. If one adopts a certain eating and/or exercise habit, the other is more likely to adopt it.
Similarly, the presence of a healthy, non-smoking spouse can have a beneficial effect, leading to smoking cessation or improvement in the health of one's partner.
We sometimes hear that love has magical effects on the people it touches. Magical ? Maybe not, but surprising, it's certainly true! Studies have shown that living together as a couple can improve the longevity of partners.
So why not let yourself be carried away by the intoxication of love?
