Love Reduces Stress

02/14/2011

Play is foundational for bonding relationships and fostering tolerance… It’s all about the generation of diversity—diversity of interactions, diversity of behaviors, diversity of connections.
Isabel Behncke Field ethologist and primatologist

Today is Valentine's Day in the U.S., the day when men are expected to demonstrate their love by sharing heart-shaped boxes of candy or jewelry with their significant other. Now research is showing us that all this lovey-dovey stuff may have health benefits.

Ode Magazine (June 2005) reported on research on the role of the heart being performed at the Institute of HeartMath in Boulder Creek, California. These researchers have concluded that "... emotions work much faster, and are more powerful, than thoughts. And that — when it comes to the human body — the heart is much more important than the brain to overall health and well-being — even cognitive function... Thinking clearly with your brain is useful. But feeling positively from your heart provides an amazing boost to health and creativity."

"It has now been demonstrated that the heart sends signals to the brain and the hormonal system via nerves, which carry the heart rhythm patterns. It doesn’t matter so much how many times a heart beats per minute; it’s the rhythm of the heartbeat that counts... HeartMath’s research team has discovered that certain patterns in the heart rhythm correspond to a particular emotional state. [Researcher Rollin] McCraty explains, “With every heartbeat, information is supplied that affects our emotions, our physical health, and the quality of our lives.” This means that feelings of compassion, love, care, and appreciation produce a smoothly rolling... heart rhythm, while feelings of anger, frustration, fear, and danger emit a jagged and capricious image...

"Simply put: when people experience love, they not only feel happy and joyful, but they also produce, for example, more DHEA, the hormone that prevents aging, and gives us feelings of youthful vitality... At the same time, the production of damaging stress hormones like cortisol is reduced. High levels of cortisol have been associated with Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, depression, and fatigue. By contrast, a 'loving body' absorbs less cholesterol, thereby preventing arteries from clogging while boosting production of immunoglobulin A, an important biochemical that boosts immune function. In addition, blood pressure stabilizes."

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