We often hear about the power of love. But do we really know what that means or what the power is all about? Often, when people talk about love, the immediately think about romantic love. While this may be a wonderful type of love, and passion is born from it, it is a different type of love that has true power.
Scientifically, it has been discovered that acts of love are good for the health. It is well known to scientists (due to an old and reckless experiment) that babies who are not given affection simply do not thrive or survive, even if given all the nutrients needed. Hugs, cuddling, and holding hands, are needed by infants, children, and adults in order to be emotionally and psychologically happy and stable. Physical affection from others (pets included) makes a person happier and healthier.
Touch has this effect on us because when we are given a loving gesture, oxytocin (the love drug) is naturally released in our brain. It makes us feel good and it releases dopamine, which lowers the levels of stress hormones in the body. This makes us healthier.
Apart from stress, however, frequent physical affection sis also known to improve someone’s mood (due to the dopamine), reduce the blood pressure (has a calming effect on a person), increase tolerance for pain (perhaps because we are filled with happiness and knowledge of our social ties to a person can help us through difficult, as seen in a study conducted by UCLA), and is also linked to speeding up the healing time of wounds! Seems like love is a powerful drug and vitamin rolled into one!
The positive effects of frequent contact does not only occur in humans, but is also seen in animals. In terms of psychological health, love plays an important role in our relationships. It is linked to how much we are able to trust others. Those who receive a lot of physical affection are more trusting, while those who do not get even the bare minimum are less trusting towards people.
Health and science aside, however, love has a power to bring peace to your life. It can strengthen a person in almost every way, and can make you do things you never though you would do. It has the power to make you think of the other, putting them first before yourself, therefor making both their life and yours extraordinary.
Love is forceful and enduring, which is why nothing can stand in its way. It is positive, which always works to give the upper hand to those who find themselves in and with love.