Love Keeps the Light of Life On

Posted on November 12, 2007 in Marriage

Relationships have the power to nurture our wellness more than any other factor. With the constant stress of busy schedules and financial pressures, the bonds we have with others sometimes suffer.

Ironically, it is the people we are closest to who will feel the effects of our increased stress level. We may find ourselves being a little short-tempered with our partners, children, or friends or we may simply withdraw and isolate ourselves.

It is impossible to exist without interacting with other people and it’s the quality and quantity of these interactions that play a dominant role in our health. Emotional health and a sense of community have a greater impact on heart disease than smoking and a diet high in saturated fat combined.

Emotional stress was more predictive of death from cancer and cardiovascular disease than smoking. People who were unable to effectively manage their stress had a 40 percent higher death rate than non-stressed individuals.

Ultimately, a successful relationship involves sharing emotions. How well we manage the ups and downs of our emotions and those of the relationship dynamic is now understood to have the greatest impact on our well-being and, in particular, our heart health.

In nature, animals that adapt to rapidly changing circumstances are those who survive and thrive. Humans are no exception to this rule. In our global society, the emotional aspects of our relationships provide the unique tools that allow us to adapt, learn, and grow.

One of these emotional components comes from helping our loved ones perceive stressful events from other points of view. These efforts, which are motivated by our wish to be helpful, may be challenging but serve as a powerful tool for personal growth.

Try some of these recommendations to spice things up and help your heart by helping those you love.

Countless studies that show that hearts beat stronger for people who:

Lower blood pressure and levels of stress hormones and higher levels of oxytocin (levels of oxytocin are found to be higher amongst people who claim to be falling in love). These changes, concluded the researchers, all contribute to heart health.

But while anthropologists have long known that the complex combination of biological and evolutionary factors that drive humans to couple and reproduce ensures the well-being of the species, decades of research into human sexuality, brain chemistry, mental health, longevity -even the nutritional value of wine and chocolate – have increasingly shown that the health of a person’s love life has a direct impact on his or her mental and physical health.

Love and intimacy is the root of what makes us sick and what makes us well, what causes sadness and what brings happiness, what makes us suffer and what leads to healing. Our survival depends on the healing power of love, intimacy, and relationships.

Leave a Reply