RELATIONSHIPS
How Your Body Changes When You Are In Love
By KAITLYNN BOOT
Cortisol Levels
One of the first indicators that you're falling in love is the change in your stress hormone production cortisol. While cortisol runs rampant during the initial months of your romantic relationship causing you to experience a pounding heart, jumpiness, sweaty palms, and flushed cheeks, things do level out substantially over time.
Neurochemicals
Oxytocin, the love hormone which can help build trust and empathy between new partners, create positive relationship memories, and enhance communication, is released in large quantities at the start of a romantic relationship. This neurotransmitter is produced as a result of your brain releasing waves of dopamine and serotonin.
Pain Reliever
Science has found a number of health benefits associated with physical touch from the people we love, including a reduction in acute and chronic pain. "It turns out that the areas of the brain activated by intense love are the same areas that drugs use to reduce pain," revealed psychology professor Arthur Aron, Ph.D.
Changed Voice
Falling in love also alters the pitch of your voice as people in love unconsciously emote their vulnerability and desire for connection and intimacy by adjusting their natural voices. A phenomenon called phonetic convergence, or phonetic imitation, is also likely to occur, where you may mimic your partner's unique speech patterns.
Changed Taste
New love can heighten your senses and make food taste sweeter; however, although your perception of food may be sweeter, you're not actually experiencing a change in the makeup of your taste buds. The reason could be the anterior cingulate cortex, which is activated both when people see their romantic partner and when they taste something sweet.