Girlfriend
  • News
  • Beauty
  • Fashion
  • Life and Advice
  • Entertainment
  • Role Model Search
  • Dolly Doctor
  • Video
Girlfriend
  • News
  • Beauty
  • Fashion
  • Life and Advice
  • Entertainment
  • Role Model Search
  • Dolly Doctor
  • Video
  1. Home
  2. Dolly Doctor

Falling In Love? Here's 11 Wild Ways Your Body Reacts

The sorcery is real. - by Dolly Doctor
  • 30 Jun 2021

Everyone knows that falling in love = a major emotional roller-coaster.

But if you really want to get in tune with your feelings, it's best to listen to your body.

WATCH: The moment Stefan and Elena fell in love on The Vampire Diaries

While your brain is busy thinking about your partner, your body is busy having crazy chemical reactions.

Yep, it’s science. Here are the sure-fire signs you’re falling in luuurve…

to-all-the-boys-rom-com

There's a bunch of weird ways our bodies react to being in love...

1. You get tongue-tied

If your heart is pounding a million times a minute, you’re feeling flustered or suffering word vomit whenever they're nearby, your body’s telling you that you're falling. Hard. 

Ok, it might be mortifying but it’s all because of hormones… Not only does your adrenaline go up when they're around but a spike in a hormone called norepinephrine makes you feel awks, your heart beat faster and causes you to fumble your words.

2. Heart beats

Even though pounding hearts can be embarrassing, it also causes the butterflies. When your heart rate speeds up, the blood is diverted away from your non-vital organs like your stomach so you get the flutters in your tummy.

Soooo... that explains everything.

3. Love at first, uhhh, smell?

You know you’ve fallen for them when you find their scent incredible.

Pheromones are chemical messengers (smells) that play a part in human attraction.

If you’re stealing their hoodies and love the whiff, it’s safe to say you’re digging them big time.

4. You’re obsessed.com.au

You’re not going mad, you're just feelin' all those feels. When you fall in love, levels of the hormone serotonin (which has a calming affect) appear to drop.

Serotonin levels also drop in people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, which might explain why you can’t stop thinking about them.

But don’t worry, after about a year, your levels of serotonin should be back to normal so no more obsession. Just like, a normal amount of being madly in love...

5. Everything tastes sweeter

Well, according to a study by the American Psychological Association it does. They got students to write about love then got them to sample various food and drinks. Regardless of what they tasted, they said it had a sweet flavour!

Weird, yes, but life is sweeter when you’re in love!

6. You’re stressed as hell

Yep, you read that correctly. Not a nice way to tell us we’re in love, thanks bod!

But it's all due to cortisol levels going up. It’s a hormone that’s also released in response to stress.

So yeah, falling in love can be a very stressful time. But…

7. It also makes you dayummmm happy

You can thank a neurotransmitter called dopamine for that. When you’re with your parenter, dopamine is released making you feel euphoric.

It’s also responsible for making love feel addictive. Okay, so this one's pretty obvious. 

8. Dilated pupils

Ever noticed your eyes get bigger when you gaze into the eyes of the one you love? It’s true when you kiss too! The autonomic nervous system responds to the excitement by making our pupils bigger, so pucker up!

But hey, it's also #fact that when you look at anything you love, your eyes dilate so like... same goes when you're staring at chicken McNuggets...

love-simon

That one look can speak a thousand words.

9. You feel less pain

Well that's a bloody bonus. According to a study from Stanford University School of Medicine, love activates the same neural receptors in the brain as painkillers! Wild. 

10. Pitch perfect

When you speak to your crush, it’ll be in a higher pitch, according to a study published in the Journal of Evolutionary Psychology

Adorbs.

11. You’re forgetful

When you're smitten with someone, your brain releases oxytocin (the love hormone), which can impair memory.

So that's why you forgot the due date of that assignment, duh. Oxytocin can be released through hugging and it makes you feel more connected to your partner. Call it lovesickness, it's a real thing!

Have a question for Dolly Doctor? Drop us an email - dollydoctor@aremedia.com.au

  • Life and Advice
  • Dolly Doctor

Subscribe to our sister mag and save up to 35% -

Subscribe Now
Subscribe to our sister mag and save up to 35%

Subscribe to our sister mag and save up to 35% -

Subscribe Now
Subscribe to our sister mag and save up to 35%

Recommended to you

Sophie Monk drops another epic Love Island trailer
Watch 1:00

Sophie Monk drops another epic Love Island trailer

{headline}

{headline}

The good, bad and ugly dating trends to look forward to in 2019

The good, bad and ugly dating trends to look forward to in 2019

There are now luxury bootcamps for the broken-hearted

There are now luxury bootcamps for the broken-hearted

Can you die from a broken heart? An expert weighs in

Can you die from a broken heart? An expert weighs in

Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson are engaged!!!!

Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson are engaged!!!!

{headline}

{headline}

Girls are most likely to marry guys who have this quality

Girls are most likely to marry guys who have this quality

Girls who do this ONE thing are luckier in love

Girls who do this ONE thing are luckier in love

Here's How To Make A Long-Distance Relationship *Actually* Work

Here's How To Make A Long-Distance Relationship *Actually* Work

{headline}

{headline}

12 rules for a friends with benefits relationship

12 rules for a friends with benefits relationship

How to tell if someone likes you, according to science

How to tell if someone likes you, according to science

What is an Open Relationship?

What is an Open Relationship?

Science says this could determine how long your relationship will last

Science says this could determine how long your relationship will last

Couples who do this together have stronger relationships

Couples who do this together have stronger relationships

Women prefer sleeping with their dogs over partners, study says

Women prefer sleeping with their dogs over partners, study says

If your partner acts like this around your parents, they're more likely to cheat

If your partner acts like this around your parents, they're more likely to cheat

Girlfriend
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy

Brands

  • New Idea
  • Practical Parenting
  • That’s Life
  • Who

Our Network

  • Better Homes and Gardens
  • BHG Shop
  • marie claire
  • Beauty Crew
  • New Idea food
  • Home Beautiful
  • All Recipes
  • 7plus
  • 7News
  • Sunrise
  • Starts at 60
  • The West Australian
  • Perth Now
  • 7mate
  • 7Sport
  • Hard to Find
© 2022 Are Media PTY LTD
All products are independently selected, tested or recommended by our team of experts.If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Get more from Girlfriend

Magazine Subscription Offer

Subscribe to our sister mag and save up to 35% -

Shop This Offer
Subscribe to our sister mag and save up to 35%