Valentine’s Day and hearts go hand in hand, and medical experts say it’s good to keep love in the air throughout the year.
Dr. Thomas Rutledge, a professor at the University of California, San Diego, shared research in Psychology Today on heart health and love. He stated that the greatest gift love has to offer isn’t candy, flowers, or even diamonds; it is better health.
Rutledge reports that the health-boosting benefits of love enable people to be the best and most exciting version of themselves.
According to Rutledge, appreciating the many physical and emotional health changes produced by love begins with the heart.
The professor reports that the heart’s function, flow, and output dramatically alter when we experience love, with important health consequences.
Rutledge said research shows that a greater experience of love is associated with improved health and longevity. Love is communicated from the brain to the heart with the rush of energy improving cardiac rhythm.
Studies have found that the chemical and functional changes occurring with a love-empowered heart can make people more resilient to pain and stress, reduce the risk of and promote improved recovery from cardiovascular events, and help fight off infections, according to Rutledge.
The professor states that we can benefit by celebrating Valentine’s Day as a reminder of the vital importance of love in life with a commitment to creating deeper sources of love throughout the year.