What Is the Connection Between Physical Activity and Falling in Love?

Love and activity hormones – what do they have in common?

Accelerated heartbeat, increased blood pressure, trembling hands – these are typical signs we observe in the state of falling in love. However, the brain, along with the nervous system, plays a major role in these processes. Also important are neurotransmitters, whose function is to transfer information between nerve cells and from the nervous system to muscles and glands. In the context of falling in love, the key substances include:

• dopamine – activates the reward centre in the brain, stimulating action and producing feelings of satisfaction and contentment,
• phenylethylamine (PEA) – improves mood by stimulating the pleasure centre and promoting the production of dopamine and serotonin,
• norepinephrine – a natural “booster” that raises blood glucose and cheers you into action,
• endorphins – euphoria hormones that reduce the sensation of pain and anxiety,
• oxytocin and vasopressin – are responsible for tenderness, attachment and feelings of happiness.

All of the above “love hormones” also affect us during physical activity. They motivate effort, offset pain, provide a natural “cheer” and induce a pleasant sense of bliss, known as, among others, “runner’s euphoria”. What is more, when exercise gives us pleasure, the same circuits in the brain are activated as during the state of infatuation. The activity of the nucleus accumbens increases, triggering feelings of pleasure. The activity of the amygdala, responsible for threat detection and anxiety, and the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for analytical thinking, decreases. So it can be concluded that during training and in the state of falling in love, our brains function in a very similar way.

Physical activity positively affects relationship with partner

One of the important factors for establishing relationships between people is similarity. Training together – especially in the same place – can indicate similar beliefs, motivations or interests, which become an excellent topic of conversation. Physical activity also boosts our self-confidence – so why not take the opportunity to have a few words?

Physically active people often have universally desirable character traits. Courage, self-confidence, belief in themselves, discipline, regularity, patience, open-mindedness, willingness to take on challenges. Perhaps this is why, according to almost half of Poles, physical activity increases the chances of meeting a life companion.

Three-quarters of Poles believe that physical activity also has a positive effect on relationships with their current partner. Jointly seeking new challenges is not only a simple recipe for a hormonal-love cocktail, but also a valuable way to spend time together and nurture the relationship at every stage.

This is because training together activates mirror neurons in our brains – systems of nerve cells that allow us to understand the other person’s behaviour, feelings and emotions. That is why exercising together can be even more rewarding than doing it separately.

In addition, the mere presence of another person at the training carries a number of benefits. Thanks to the effect of social facilitation, we are able to perform exercises more efficiently. At a more advanced level, joint exercises become an opportunity to motivate each other, as well as to improve the technique of the movements performed.

To fall in love with exercise – is it possible?

Love does not have to end at the stage of infatuation, just as the pleasure and satisfaction of a workout are not limited to the beneficial effects of “happy hormones” activated by intense exertion. Achieving more goals, enjoying progress, participating in competitions – all of these make exercise akin to love, offering numerous ways to experience happiness. However, it is important to take care of this relationship regularly, remembering that balance is key.

First of all, you should make sure that the biochemical “shot” at the training does not become your only source of pleasure. The Internet is full of stories about “training and love” experiences – from difficult beginnings with a new discipline, through first successes, overcoming limitations, true love, crisis and separation due to injury, to a successful return. There is a grain of truth in such stories – it is indeed possible to fall in love with physical activity.

However, it is important to remember that the feelings triggered by biochemical processes associated with training can lead to addiction. Phytorexia is not love – it is a constant hunger for exercise that destroys interpersonal relationships, takes away the joy of training and leads to burnout. So let’s always keep in mind that in love and training “more” does not always mean “better” – the most important thing is balance and mutual satisfaction.

^References:

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