When we are in love, it would influence our brain and have positive consequences on motivation and self-esteem.
- Being in love impacts the region of the brain in charge of regulating emotions.
- And this phenomenon was even stronger as the romantic relationship progressed.
- Researchers have also observed positive effects on morale, including motivation, self-esteem and perception of others.
Being in love is pleasant and sometimes allows us to surpass ourselves… But this feeling also has real repercussions on our brain and our morale. In any case, this is what the neuroscientist Eric Haseltine explains in Psychology Today.
Love influences our brain
For a long time, neuroscientists have known that certain hormones produced by the body influence our romantic relationship. For example, testosterone, a hormone produced by the testicles and the adrenal glands but regulated by the brain, plays a role in everything related to sexual desire. Oxytocin and vasopressin, also regulated by the brain, contribute to feelings of affection and attachment. Thus, the brain influences our feeling of love.
But the reverse is also true. According to a study conducted in China in 2015, the feeling of love influences our brain but also its functional structure. To better understand this phenomenon, the scientists used MRI, a cerebral imaging technique used to study the functioning of the brain.
The self-esteem of people in love is better
The participants in this study were divided into three groups: those who were very much in love, those who had just broken up with their partner and those who had never been in love.
Thus, people who were very in love had the region related to the regulation of emotions more homogeneous and active than the other groups. And this phenomenon was even stronger as the relationship progressed. In addition, researchers have also observed positive effects on morale, including motivation, self-esteem and perception of others.
“These results imply that being in love literally helps your brain “stay on its feet,” while being single or never having been in love seems to have the opposite effect.”, comments Eric Haseltine. So, at any age, you should never be afraid to fall in love, it’s positive for both morale and brain!
