Love is a strong emotion that positively impacts humans’ hearts, bodies, minds, and souls. However, you don’t have to be in a romantic relationship to experience the healing effects of love. Surrounding yourself with close friends, caring parents, or a loving pet can heal your heart too.
This is why healthcare providers often highlight the importance of good social support to patients—because, believe it or not, yes, love does heal.Love /luhv/ (noun) A feeling or disposition of deep affection or fondness for someone.
1. Love is the antidote to stress
Feeling loved makes us feel good, but why so? During moments of stress, our body releases cortisol, a steroid hormone associated with activating the fight-or-flight response in our bodies. High cortisol levels may increase the risk of hypertension, diabetes, and heart diseases [1].2. Falling in love > falling sick
Love and affection may increase the production of immunoglobulin A (IgA), an antibody that’s active in mucous membranes in the mouth, nose, trachea, lungs, stomach, intestines, and urinary bladder. According to a study published by the Psychological Reports, 19 students who spent roughly 18 minutes petting a dog demonstrated a significant increase in IgA levels compared to 36 other students who didn’t participate [3].3. Love improves the quality of our lives
It’s easy to fall into the trap of anxiety or depression during the lowest points of our lives. But knowing that you’re loved and cared for can change that. Though love cannot “cure” any mental disorders, it can definitely help someone overcome their challenges. In addition, simple gestures such as saying something nice or lending your ears during periods of difficulty can go a long way.4. Better love, better sleep
Sleeping well allows your body to rest adequately and maintain your heart health. In addition, sleeping next to someone you love makes you feel more calm and relaxed. People who sleep side-by-side with someone they love sleep much better than those who sleep alone [4].