Love is considered one of the strongest and most complex human feelings, the nature of which is still an object of study for researchers of various specialties. On Valentine’s Day, February 14, the family psychologist of the Doctis telemedicine service, Yulia Bolotova, told Izvestia about how this feeling affects the body and human life.
“What is responsible for the “turning on” of love from the point of view of medical science? We all know the “feeling of the heart” metaphor, but it’s just a metaphor. During the period of falling in love, completely different organs are activated – the organs of the neuroendocrine system, namely the limbic system, hypothalamus, pituitary, pineal and adrenal glands, which, in turn, affect the body through neural connections, hormones and neurotransmitters, ”the specialist explained.
According to her, during love, the concentration of hormones and neurotransmitters in a person is similar to that produced during stress, which is why love is called positive stress for the body. In this state, a person may begin to lose weight and experience problems with sleep.
“It is believed that an increase in the level of the happy hormone oxytocin, which is produced in excess in lovers, dulls the feeling of hunger and leads to a decrease in the number of calories needed for the body. And adrenaline, in turn, accelerates the absorption of a standard diet and increases metabolism, thereby stimulating fat burning, ”Bolotova said.
At the same time, the psychologist emphasized that falling in love has more positive effects on the body. For example, this feeling improves the functioning of the immune system – endorphin, a hormone of euphoria, and oxytocin in high concentration can strengthen the immune system.
“It has been proven that people who are happy in a couple get sick much less often than those who are single. Also, scientists from the University of California at Los Angeles found that falling in love activates genes responsible for the production of interferon, an immune system protein that helps fight viral infections. In addition, it has been scientifically established that family people, especially men, are less prone to cardiovascular diseases, ”the expert noted.
In addition, people in love are more prone to a healthy lifestyle, more often go in for physical education or sports. According to Bolotova, this happens because dopamine, the hormone of concentration, increases motivation and the desire for positive changes in order to look better and remain attractive.
Another positive impact of falling in love is associated with academic and career success. So, the hormone cortisol increases glucose levels, giving the body more energy, and dopamine, in combination with adrenaline, increases productivity and allows you to achieve high results in your career and training.
“In addition, thanks to numerous observations, scientists have found that endorphins activate creative abilities in people. Also, love makes those areas of the human brain that are responsible for memory and attention work harder, ”added the psychologist.
On February 11, it became known that the least of all Russian women want to receive a marriage proposal as a gift for Valentine’s Day. At the same time, the survey showed that the most desirable gift for Russian women is a gift certificate.
