There’s a very old song with the words, “Love and marriage, love and marriage, go together like a horse and carriage.” That may still be true in some ways in this 21st century, but it might be just as true to say that “Love and health go together like a horse and carriage.”
In fact, that’s what research certainly says. Love, in fact, provides some very specific health benefits – physical and mental.
Physical Benefits of Romantic Love
There are large bodies of research that show the physical health benefits of being in love. Here are the most predominant:
Lower Blood Pressure
Research has been conducted with both married couples and singles who are in relationships. And the results are the same. People who describe their relationships as loving rather than just OK do have lower blood pressure levels. This is obviously more important as people age. So, single seniors should take note. You might want to pursue a romantic relationship.
Boosted Immune Systems
Yes, you read that right. Researchers do report that being in love changes a person’s gene regulation of immune cells. Most of this research relates to viral infections, such as colds and flu, but there is some research out there that shows a lowered incidence of UTIs (urinary tract infections), which are caused by bacteria. Maybe those who are not in romantic relationships might want to consider seeking one as cold weather approaches.
Greater Pain Tolerance
There is an interesting study here conducted on people who stated they were definitely in love. The participants were subjected to moderate-to-high levels of pain from heat. They were then provided with three potential pain relievers – a picture of their romantic partner, a picture of an attractive acquaintance, and a specific word association task as a distraction. Pain responses were measured with MRI.
The result? The picture of the romantic partner reduced pain more than the other two. The moral of this story is to keep a picture of your love close by when you are sick or injured.
Longer Life Span
Longitudinal research on 19,000 couples in the U.S. showed that those who described their relationships as very happy had 20% lower odds of early death compared to those who described their relationships as not really happy.
Mental Health Benefits
If Covid taught us nothing else, it was that we need human connections. And one of the best human connections is romantic love.
One of the phenomena that we witnessed during COVID-19 was the explosion of the use of online dating websites like Hily, where singles of all ages could meet up with others and explore a digital romance. Many of these sites offer video chatting so that couples can interact visually as they get to know each other and even fall in love.
And research does show that there are huge mental health benefits to being in love. Here are some of those.
Love Reduces Anxiety and Stress
Our brains react to our emotional triggers by releasing hormones. For example, adrenaline is released when we are in fear. When we are in love, our brains release neurotransmitters and hormones that affect our entire body. So when we experience anxiety and stress, thinking about our love, communicating with our love, and/or physically being in the presence of our love releases these calming features of our brain.
If you are having a stressful day at work or if you are worried about something, taking a break with your love in any capacity will serve to calm you.
Love Impacts Our Overall Mood and Optimism
The hormones released when we are in love, either when we see our love in person, think about our love, or talk with our love, are called “feel good” chemicals or endorphins. These are the same hormones that are released when we engage in physical exercise.
While endorphin release may decrease once the exercise is finished, it can continue to be released when thinking about or being with your love. So, good moods and a sense of optimism are more long-term and sustained.
Love Improves Self-Esteem, Self-Worth, and Self-Confidence
When we are in love, we feel wanted, valued, and needed. All of these things serve to make us feel much better about ourselves. We are more inclined to set and pursue goals; we are more inclined to reach out in social situations. All of these things serve to make us mentally healthy and well-rounded adults.
Love – It’s Great Medicine
Whether for your body, soul, or emotional well-being, love is an amazing force for good in our lives. Go forth and pursue love. As the song says, “Love Makes the World GoRound.”
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