Love is a powerful feeling that can signal the existence of a strong bond, mutual affection, and a healthy attachment between two people. However, love can feel like a nebulous phenomenon, being in love causes tangible changes in the human brain and body. In addition to helping us feel happy, excited, and confident, love can make us healthier, alleviate our pain, and enhance our trust in others. Below, we’re going to cover the physical, mental, and emotional side effects of being in love.
A great way to know if someone is attracted to you is by looking into their eyes and seeing if their pupils dilate. This is an involuntary action caused by the automatic nervous system. Neural transmitters are released during love, adrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin, all cause pupil dilation.
When we are attracted to someone, we also tend to blush. This is also an involuntary response and caused by the sympathetic nervous system in women. Blushing is associated with youthfulness and fertility. It also encourages reproduction and attraction. That may be the reason why women wear blush ever wonder why sometimes a good hug or cuddle makes you feel better during cuddling the hormone oxytocin is released. And this promotes bonding and intimacy, aka that warm, fuzzy feeling.
The initial phase of falling in love and intense infatuation lasts for several months. During the next phase, there is increased intimacy, commitment and attachment. This is driven by the hormones oxytocin and vasopressin. Oxytocin helps us feel safe and secure after the initial high cortisol and stress of the uncertainty and risk of falling in love. Vasopressin promotes behaviours of vigilance and being territorial and self-protective.
Between oxytocin and vasopressin there is a balance of connecting with others while also protecting the person you are in love with and yourself. Oxytocin is often called the “hormone of love” because it facilitates the formation of social bonds and connections. However, new research in animal models suggests oxytocin is not essential for life-long pair-bonding as previously thought.
Sexual activity is distinct from love, but it does reinforce attachment. When we touch, kiss or have sex, oxytocin and vasopressin are released, which promotes love and commitment between a couple.
Years into a romantic relationship, there is often a period of transition from passionate love to companion love. High intimacy and commitment help to sustain this love. Some relationships end at this time because of the reduced passion, while other couples remain in the passionate love phase for decades.
In the event of a loss where our heart gets broken, we actually feel physical pain. Your anterior cingulate cortex becomes activated, which regulates emotion. This leaves the stimulation of vagus nerve sound in your chest and abdomen. So when your heart is broken, it actually feels like your heart is broken. It hurts so much.
I always wondered what went through the first human's heads when they just decided, hey, we should take our lips and touch them together. That's not weird at all. Today, the most widely accepted theory is that it allows for us to examine the biological quality of our our mix. It allows for our faces to be close enough to examine each other's pheromones. When your body senses threat, it immediately goes into fight or flight mode. It releases the hormones, adrenaline, and cortisol. And when you're out on a hot date, butterflies, or fight or flight mode is activated, even though you're unlikely to face physical threats, your body senses, rejection, and embarrassment as threats. Therefore, going into that mode.
