Some days are distressful, undeniably so. Some days are blatantly normal, fortunately for the human race. And that is the duality of life.
On a transcendental level, there are the precious days, where you wake up, bewitched, spellbound, as if in a trance. It is the same world. But the perspective is not. There is a rush, a warm one, of butterflies, a lot of butterflies (which mainly comprises oxytocin, serotonin, dopamine, noradrenaline, and endorphins). Everything is beautiful. And I mean ‘everything’.
Maybe that is the charm of this uncertain, unpredictable enigma that they have named love. Or is it so? Now that is the complexity of life.
Scientists, ranging from the fields of sociology to zoology have been asking the same thing, ‘What is Love?’. Turns out, the science behind this concept is both simpler and more complex than we might think. The subject is above and beyond and it certainly has a lot to offer. And yet what surprises us the most is the fact that this clichéd four-lettered word acts as a substitute for antihypertensives and antidepressants.
It is indeed a question of wonderment, how a mere feeling, that grew out of the heart (or the brain, as some might argue) can be a blessing to our physical health. It is just an emotion after all.
Nevertheless, science says otherwise, and here are six proven physical health benefits to support our theory-
- Improved Immune Systems: A person in love tends to be happier, positive, and mentally stronger. Improved mood and feelings of acceptance can lead to more energy and less stress. A healthier mind stimulates the effective functioning of body organs, ensuring an increased capability to fight diseases.
- Faster Recovery From Illnesses: Positive relationships and love can make flesh wounds heal much faster. To prove this point, scientists at the Ohio State University Medical Centre studied the blister wounds of married couples. And couples who shared a loving relationship proved to have recovered sooner than the ones having a hostile one.
- Decreases Rate Of Heart Disease: Being in the presence of the person who makes your heart race, or at times, just thinking of them, can cause the brain to release hormones such as dopamine, adrenaline, and norepinephrine, which make your heart beat faster and stronger. These short workout sessions of the heart train your heart to pump blood more efficiently
- Lower Blood Pressure: According to a study published in the journal Comprehensive Psychology, hugging your loved one can lower blood pressure as well as reduce the heart rate due to increased levels of oxytocin in the body. Another study by Annals of Behavioral Medicine deduced that certain hormones are released by touch which helps in lowering blood pressure.
- Longer Life Span: Love becomes a state of mind. It induces one to love and take care of oneself too, Thus making one adapt to a healthier lifestyle. Experts attribute this phenomenon to factors like reduced stress, and when in love, a partner often gives up bad habits—like heavy drinking or smoking. As a result, healthy habits increase longevity
- Relief From Pain: Some of you, the ones who have been high on the drug of love, might have hallucinated the positive shift in mood or the impromptu appearance of strength, just at the thought of a loved one. Well, this effect doesn’t just exist in your imagination, according to a small 2010 study. The study concluded that looking at a partner’s photo activates the brain’s reward system, which may result in lowering the perception of pain.
Physically, psychologically and spiritually, love seems to be the ultimate growth of an individual. A step closer to the concept of love, we feel, with every new discovery. But a lot many questions are yet unanswered and this vast intangible mystery of ‘love’, in the infinity of the cosmos, still remains an unsolved one.
