Gaby
HouseWife recently discussed the effects of love on the human brain. With Valentine’s Day approaching, it’s a good time to look at the other organs and functions that love touches.
Until recently, researchers knew little about the mechanisms behind love. New studies are now showing how this powerful emotion affects both our minds and our bodies.
The Best Sleep Is Together
Despite claims from some sleep specialists that couples who share a bed sleep more restlessly, German researchers found the opposite. A study from Christian Albrechts University of Kiel reports that sharing a bed with a partner enhances REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. REM sleep is crucial for emotions, memory consolidation, and creative problem-solving.
Researchers scanned the brains of young couples across four nights. On some nights the partners slept separately; on others they slept together. During nights spent together, the couples showed improved sleep quality.
Health of Vital Organs
Another recent finding concerns love’s effect on the gut microbiome. This community of gut microbes is linked to many bodily functions, including digestion and brain activity.
A study from the University of British Columbia found that people in close relationships with regular physical contact tend to have a more diverse gut microbiome. The study, published in Scientific Reports, also estimated that a single kiss transfers about 80 million bacteria between partners.
Other studies show that love can reduce chronic inflammation, which in turn lowers the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers.
A University of North Carolina study found that spending time with loved ones lowers levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of chronic inflammation. Over the course of a month, researchers monitored CRP levels in 100 people in close relationships. The more time participants spent with their partners, the lower their CRP levels were, the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity reported.
Love Eases Pain
Research from the Medical University of Austria showed that just having a loved one nearby can reduce pain, even without touching or talking.
The team enrolled 48 couples in the study. All participants completed pain tolerance tests first when they were alone and then when their partners were present. Both men and women tolerated pain better when a loved one was nearby, the Daily Mail reported.
Oxytocin Regulates Digestion and Promotes Hair Growth
At the center of many of love’s physiological effects is the release of oxytocin, often called the “hug hormone.” Oxytocin helps produce the euphoric rush of falling in love. It also relaxes the body, strengthens bonds with a partner, and reduces stress.
That stress reduction can help with stress-related gut disorders. A study from Penn State College of Medicine showed that oxytocin can ease digestive symptoms caused by stress, such as constipation, bloating, and nausea.
Researchers have also found that oxytocin promotes hair growth. A study published last year in Scientific Reports confirmed that oxytocin activates dermal papilla cells, which play a key role in hair growth.
How Dopamine Drives Infatuation
Love also triggers the release of dopamine—the “feel-good” neurotransmitter. Dopamine influences activity levels, mood, and the sense of happiness that creates those “butterflies in the stomach.” U.S. neurobiologists found that anticipating a date with a romantic interest causes dopamine levels to surge. They say that this dopamine spike, fueled by romantic passion, helps keep people invested in their relationships, which helps explain why breakups can feel so painful.
Unrequited love can produce behaviors that resemble addiction, says Dr. Emilia Vuorisalmi of Finland. She argues that our bodies crave connection with the person we love. When that connection doesn’t happen, dopamine levels fall and stress hormones like cortisol and norepinephrine rise.
