Science-Backed Ways Love Promote Your Mental Health

Sharon Moore April 30, 2015

Love. It can be the most precious thing you could ever have on earth. And when it comes to love, we often think about the wonders it does to our heart and soul. But there’s one more area that it greatly benefits too – your brain.

When you are in love, some parts of your brain are activated. Some are shut down. Such reactions do change the way your brain works, and the way your mind thinks. Fortunately, all these changes are for the better.

Your Brain in Love

If you have been keeping a lot of reservations because you don’t want to be hurt by love, keep reading on. On this article, we will talk about the scientifically proven benefits of love on your mental health.

Love makes you wiser.

The longer you allow yourself to love, the wiser you become. And it’s not simply because of the relationship skills and life lessons you will earn. People in love report higher levels of the hormone dopamine which is linked to desire, pleasure and euphoria. Studies suggest that people in positive, healthy relationships tend to live wiser, happier and longer. They also have better mental health.

Love pulls down your stress levels.

Not managing stress is one way to hurt your brain and keep yourself prone to mental health disorders like depression, anxiety disorder and worse – dementia. Whilst being in a relationship can be stressful at times, love is indeed an antidote to stress. Simply holding your partner’s hand is enough to lower your stress levels and blood pressure, improve your health, and ease physical pain. See? Love is a very powerful drug.

Love makes you start thinking in ‘twos’.

The moment you enter a relationship, things are no longer about you. You stop saying “me, me and me’. Rather, you also consider the thoughts of your partner. Making decisions, planning and all sorts of activities are better done by two heads. More importantly, knowing you have someone to share your thoughts gives you that good feeling and confidence. In one study, people who use singular pronouns like “me”, “myself” and “I” were linked to higher rates of depression, compared to those who used to say “we” and “us”.

Love brightens up your brain.

Literally. In one study led by Helen Fisher of Rutgers University, researchers examined the brains of people who defined themselves “madly in love”. They found that the reward centres in the brains of the subjects lit up by simply looking at a picture of their spouse. Meanwhile, scientists saw a reduction in the light-up activity in the areas of the brain that are associated with stress and calmness. Brain areas associated with dopamine and norepinephrine production also light up – both are associated with pleasurable activities and excitement.

Love fights negative emotions.

Just like the first bonds babies make with their mothers, you also develop a feeling of security when you enter a positive and healthy relationship. Research shows that when we are in love, our brain actually shuts down the part of our brain that controls our fear and other negative emotions.

Love protects your brain from diseases.

You may have heard of oxytocin, which is often called the “love” hormone. Both human and animal studies have found that this hormone plays a crucial role in bonding. Oxytocin is released in the brain during certain types of human contact, such as hugging, sexual activity and nursing an infant. Many scientists are exploring oxytocin for its potential therapeutic properties especially for people suffering from brain disorders like autism or schizophrenia.

Love is such a magical thing. It is sometimes indescribable and unexplainable. But its effects on our physical and mental health can be scientifically explained and proven too. As Prof Fisher puts it, "No wonder lovers talk all night or walk till dawn, write extravagant poetry and self-revealing e-mails, cross continents or oceans to hug for just a weekend, change jobs or lifestyles, even die for one another. Drenched in chemicals that bestow focus, stamina and vigour, and driven by the motivating engine of the brain, lovers succumb to a Herculean courting urge."