The Basics of Love Explained
Poets write about it, musicians sing about it, you're probably feeling it right now. What is it? Why, it's love of course!
Did you know that scientists have figured out some pretty interesting stuff about this human emotional experience? It affects your body in fascinating ways, so if you want to be sure whether you're in love or simply suffering from an upset stomach, here are the facts.
When you're in the first stages of falling for someone, you generally feel giddy. Your heart races, your skin flushes, and your palms sweat like crazy. Though these things sound like they're symptoms of some illness, they're actually your body's way of reacting to the increased presence of certain chemicals such as norepinephrine and dopamine. The former is a lot like adrenaline and it's the one responsible for speeding up your heart. The latter causes you to feel joy, which is why it's also known as the "pleasure chemical". When these two start working together in your body, they make you happy and energetic. They can also make you lose your appetite and ability to sleep.
When you get lucky and the object of your affection feels the same way, hormones start getting busy to create a more long-lasting bond between the two of you. Once you have an intimate connection, oxytocin gets released during the peak of your bond and an emotional link is formed between you and your partner. The more intimate undertakings you have, the stronger your relationship can grow. Endorphins, which are your body's naturally occurring painkillers, get in on the act too. They cause you to feel a sense of general well-being so you're at peace with the world when things are going great for you and your significant other. Another chemical that contributes to the formation of a monogamous bond is vasopressin. It is believed that this particular hormone enhances feelings of attachment between a couple so that even when passionate love begins to fade, they stay still together.
Of course, all these findings are continually being refined by additional research. But until the day comes when science has fully explained the mystery and the insanity that is human love, you can bet on one thing: it's going to keep making the world go round.