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By Baran Kilical, MD
—Cardiologist; Anne Arundel Medical Center
brbrStars in your eyes, butterflies in your stomach, weak in the knees … falling in love is a feeling like no other. But did you know being in love actually has tangible health benefits for both your body and your mind?
brbr“We are social creatures and we do best when we have strong social support systems,” explains Baran Kilical, MD, a cardiologist at Anne Arundel Medical Center. “Being in love can affect everything from your stress levels to your heart health.”
brbrHere are few of the scientifically backed benefits of being in love:
brbrUnfortunately, the phenomenon goes both ways. In the same study, adults with poor social ties had twice the risk of death compared to others in the study. “Many different studies have replicated these findings, especially in men,” says Dr. Kilical. “Most research shows being married is even more beneficial to men’s health than women’s health.”
brbrAnd there’s a growing amount of research showing a higher risk of illness and death in people with low quantity and low quality of social relationships. “Social isolation is a major risk factor for death from a variety of causes in both genders,” says Dr. Kilical.
brbr“Our sympathetic nervous system, or our stress “fight-or-flight” response likely plays a role as well.” Being in love tends to decrease our stress response, which can in turn lower blood pressure. Studies show strong love, marriage, and social ties improve blood pressure, while isolation and being around strangers increases it. The same holds true for heart rate.
brbrAnd if you do have a heart attack, being happily married helps. In a 2015 study, married people had a 14 percent lower risk of dying in the hospital after a heart attack. They also had shorter hospital stays by an average of two days.
brbrBut what really goes on in your mind when you’re in love? “Thanks to endocrine research (the study of hormones) and modern functional brain MRIs, we can get a peek behind the scenes,” says Dr. Kilical. “Love causes changes in many of your hormones including oxytocin, vasopressin, dopamine, serotonin, cortisol, and testosterone.” Here’s some of what goes on in your brain:
Not in Love? How to Still Reap the Benefits
—Cardiologist; Anne Arundel Medical Center
brbrStars in your eyes, butterflies in your stomach, weak in the knees … falling in love is a feeling like no other. But did you know being in love actually has tangible health benefits for both your body and your mind?
brbr“We are social creatures and we do best when we have strong social support systems,” explains Baran Kilical, MD, a cardiologist at Anne Arundel Medical Center. “Being in love can affect everything from your stress levels to your heart health.”
brbrHere are few of the scientifically backed benefits of being in love:
A Longer Life
brResearch shows a clear link between strong social ties and longevity. A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology assessed the relationships of nearly 5,000 adults ages 30 to 69. Those with strong, happy marriages lived longer than unmarried men and women.brbrUnfortunately, the phenomenon goes both ways. In the same study, adults with poor social ties had twice the risk of death compared to others in the study. “Many different studies have replicated these findings, especially in men,” says Dr. Kilical. “Most research shows being married is even more beneficial to men’s health than women’s health.”
brbrAnd there’s a growing amount of research showing a higher risk of illness and death in people with low quantity and low quality of social relationships. “Social isolation is a major risk factor for death from a variety of causes in both genders,” says Dr. Kilical.
A Healthy Heart
brIt’s fitting that the symbol for love is a heart, given all the heart health benefits of being in love. Married people experience half the risk of death from heart disease than that of unmarried or divorced men and women. “One theory explains this finding by citing improved function of the autonomic nervous system, which controls bodily functions like heart rate, in people who are married or in love,” says Dr. Kilical.brbr“Our sympathetic nervous system, or our stress “fight-or-flight” response likely plays a role as well.” Being in love tends to decrease our stress response, which can in turn lower blood pressure. Studies show strong love, marriage, and social ties improve blood pressure, while isolation and being around strangers increases it. The same holds true for heart rate.
brbrAnd if you do have a heart attack, being happily married helps. In a 2015 study, married people had a 14 percent lower risk of dying in the hospital after a heart attack. They also had shorter hospital stays by an average of two days.
Healthy Lungs
brIt’s not just your heart that benefits from being in love. Being married can help protect against complications and death from pneumonia. Compared to unmarried men and women, married people are less likely to require ventilator support via a breathing machine, have shorter hospital stays, are less likely to end up in an intensive care unit and have 13 percent lower risk of dying during hospitalization for pneumonia.Less Stress
brBesides the physical health benefits, being in love works wonders for your mental health as well. Love, marriage, and overall wellbeing reduce stress, which also strengthens your immune system.brbrBut what really goes on in your mind when you’re in love? “Thanks to endocrine research (the study of hormones) and modern functional brain MRIs, we can get a peek behind the scenes,” says Dr. Kilical. “Love causes changes in many of your hormones including oxytocin, vasopressin, dopamine, serotonin, cortisol, and testosterone.” Here’s some of what goes on in your brain:
- brbrThe hormones oxytocin and vasopressin interact with your dopamine reward system. This is the same system that causes people to feel good or happy when positive events happen, such as getting a pay raise or falling in love.
- brVasopressin helps control blood pressure.
- brCortisol, the stress hormone, initially rises when you fall in love, but quickly drops in a long-term, stable relationship. Low cortisol levels sustained in a long-term stable relationship contributes to many health benefits.
