According To Science, These 5 Staggering Facts Might Shift Your Entire Perspective On Love
Think you understand love? These science-backed facts might just turn your beliefs upside down.
Lisa5201 | Canva Love is one of the most mysterious things in the world. It's not something anyone can hold, but we know it's real. No one can quite put it into words, and there seem to be no rules when it comes to who we fall in love with. People, religious figures, poets, and even scientists have tried to find an explanation for it.
While there seems to be no rhyme or reason for love, here is what some scientists have found out about it. In honor of such a wonderful feeling, dating site EliteSingles put together some pretty interesting facts about the human heart and the strongest emotion of all, love. Here are a few heart and love facts that may surprise you.
According to science, these five staggering facts might shift your entire perspective on love:
1. Love really is a drug
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It’s true! The serotonin levels in the brain of people in love are so high that it makes people exhibit obsessive behavior, and the release of all that dopamine can make them feel like they’re high on cocaine.
Why do you think it's called being "madly" in love? Because you are "mad" when you're in that deep. Love is really a drug.
2. Long-term couples have hearts that beat in sync
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Although scientists aren’t really sure why this is, they have also observed that in many cases the woman's heart will adjust itself to stay in time with the heart of her male partner.
This effect isn't limited to couples; according to one study, heartbeats can synchronize between strangers as well, especially in situations that foster trust or shared experiences.
3. Men are usually the ones to say 'I love you,' first
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Men are often stereotyped as unemotional, cold, or even scared of commitment when it comes to settling down in romantic relationships. But science seems to indicate otherwise.
According to the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, on average, men tend to make their vocal declaration of love before women do.
Research conducted across multiple countries has found that men tend to say "I love you" first, suggesting that this is not a culturally specific phenomenon.
4. People tend to fall for those who look like them
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It might be easy to scoff at the idea that Liberace had one of his lovers undergo surgery to look just like him, but it's not completely weird.
Studies have shown that people are just naturally drawn to those who have similar coloring, face shape, hair, and even have similarly-shaped ears. I guess we're all a bit egotistic, even when it comes to love.
5. Holding your partner's hand can ease pain
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A study out of the University of California found that for all the grief love can cause, it's when lovers are holding hands that there is true relief from physical, and even sometimes, emotional pain, too. And I think we can all agree that holding hands is better than some over-the-counter painkiller any day.
Amanda Chatel has been a wellness and relationship journalist for over a decade. Her work has been featured in Glamour, Shape, Self, and other outlets.
