Love is pure, love is hurtful, love is a blessing, and love is a curse. It is capable of filling our heart with pure joy and at the same time make us question the sanity of our own being.
When we’re in love, we become completely different people. We experience the sensation of having butterflies in our stomach, being unable to breathe properly, the waves of powerful energy that inspire us to do things we’d never thought of doing before.
It feels like we’ve suddenly woken up after a long time in the middle of a dream. At first, we think we’ll never get used to feeling this way but as time passes, we find out that it is exactly what we need. And if it wasn’t for love, you probably wouldn’t be here today reading this article.
Love will always be one of the biggest mysteries of humankind. It is a real phenomenon that scientists and psychologists all over the world are still trying to explain and they are still trying to find answers to numerous questions. And here are some surprising facts they’ve discovered so far.
12 surprising facts about love that you wish you had known earlier
1. When two lovers look each other in the eye, their heart rates synchronize
Researchers have discovered that when two lovers look each other in the eye for approximately three minutes, their heart rates become synchronized. In other words, when two lovers gaze at each other’s eyes for some time, their hearts start to beat as one. Isn’t that beautiful?
2. Cuddling and holding your lover’s hands are natural painkillers
When you’re hugging your loved one or engaging in cuddling sessions, the love hormone oxytocin is released. Oxytocin is a bonding hormone that also decreases our headaches and is a natural painkiller for all sorts of pain.
The same goes for holding hands. So, when you’re experiencing pain, just hug your loved one, hold their hand and let love do its magic and release you of your pain and troubles.
3. Looking at a photo of your loved one also relieves pain and stress
Who would ever have imagined that just looking at a photo of your loved one would be able to release you of pain? Believe it or not, it’s true. When you’re going through tough and stressful times and you look at a photo of your beloved, your brain, in a way, forgets that it is in pain because it connects the photo with moments of happiness.
Your brain starts recollecting and linking all of your past moments to the picture within seconds, thus blocking all of the pain and negativities you’re experiencing at that moment.
4. Watching romantic movies can help strengthen your marriage
Yup. Research has shown that couples who watch romantic movies together tend to be happier and less likely to get divorced than those who don’t. Watching romantic movies helps couples understand better their roles within the relationship and that is how it helps strengthen their marriage.
5. Those butterflies in your stomach are real
When you’re really into someone, you experience those butterfly sensations not because you have butterflies in your stomach but because of adrenaline, which prepares your body for ‘fight or flight’.
6. Men with higher IQ levels are less likely to cheat on their women
This one speaks for itself. Joking aside, by using polls, a team of researchers discovered that smarter men are less likely to cheat on their women (and we’re wondering why).
7. Couples who are too similar to or too different from each other are not likely to last
You might already be familiar with this one. They say that opposites attract, so no wonder that it is true. Couples who are too similar to or too different from each other are unable to complement each other because they exhibit the same traits and characteristics or ones that are too different.
After all, love is all about filling each other’s gaps and bringing to the table things your partner lacks and vice versa. It is all about complementing and compromising.
8. Heartbreak is much more than a metaphor
If you’ve ever experienced a heartbreak (or you’re experiencing it now) you must be familiar with that throbbing pain in your chest. And when you say that your heart is broken, everybody thinks of it as a metaphor. But actually it is much more than a metaphor.
When you’re going through lots of pain and deep emotional distress, your brain releases chemicals that have the power to weaken your heart, causing chest pain and you to lose your breath.
9. People in love share a similar chemical balance to those with OCD
Studies have shown that people in the early stage of love release lower levels of serotonin (linked to happiness) and higher levels of cortisol (linked to stress). The same thing happens to those with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). Perhaps that is the reason why we start behaving like a complete ‘lunatic’ when we fall for someone.
10. Thinking of love and intimacy makes you more creative
Love and lovemaking are abstract terms that don’t have specific definitions. So, when you’re thinking about it, your brain is creating new neural paths which help boost your creativity. In a nutshell, thinking of something that is associated with devotion, respect and affection helps you think outside the box.
11. When you’re attracted to someone, your pupils dilate
When looking at someone you’re strongly attracted to, your pupils dilate at the same time, making you more attractive to them. The same thing happens when looking at a photo or video as well.
12. Strangers can fall in love just by looking into each other’s eyes
They say that the eyes are the window to our soul. So, believe it or not, thanks to the chemical phenylethylamine, it is actually possible to fall in love with a stranger just by looking into their eyes. The next time you look into a stranger’s eyes, keep this one in mind.
