Happy Valentines Day

By Joanie in Health Tips, Lifestyle Tips on 14 February 2023

Love and health are intertwined in surprising ways. Humans are naturally wired for connection, & when we cultivate good relationships, the rewards are immense. In celebration of Valentine’s day, we thought we would share 5 surprising benefits that LOVE can actually have on your health! 

❤️ Love boosts your Mood:

Falling in love, getting married & maintaining healthy relationships, as well as friendships, have been shown to reduce the feelings of isolation and depression while simultaneously increasing the sense of belonging and happiness.

❤️ Love can ease Anxiety:

 Studies show that the feeling of loneliness can stimulate anxiety. In fact, MRI scans have shown that those who are involved in stable, long-term relationships & friendships had greater activity and activation in the part of the brain that is responsible for the reward/pleasure response and less activation in the area of the brain associated with anxiety.

❤️Love is a Stress Buster:

Lasting love is consistently linked to lower levels of stress. In one 2003 study, published in the journal Behavioural Medicine, couples who held hands for 10 minutes then hugged for 20 seconds were shown to have healthier reactions to subsequent stress tests, compared to those who hadn’t had any physical contact. 

❤️ Love can make you take better care of yourself:

When we are part of a loving relationship, friendship or family, we are often encouraged by those who love us to seek medical advice when me may not want to. We are also often encouraged to seek support when we are going through hard times and even encouraged to live a healthier lifestyle when we might not otherwise do so. 

❤️ May increase life expectancy:

Research suggests that married people in particular but those also involved in healthy social relationships typically live longer. Experts attribute this phenomenon to factors like reduced stress, and in romantic relationships a partner often gives up bad habits, for example heavy drinking or smoking in support of the relationship. As a result, healthy habits may increase longevity.

Happy Valentine’s Day friends. May it be filled with love and health ❤️