Love is a driving force for humans, often leading to both happiness and sadness. Love isn’t exclusive to us, but we do have some of the most unique ways of experiencing and expressing the mighty emotion.

Here are 20 lovestruck facts about love.

20. Monogamy

Though we’d like to think we’re unique from the rest of the animal kingdom, we’re not the only animal to mate monogamously. Wolves, gibbons, albatrosses and even termites have been known to mate for life. No word on the statistics of animal divorce rates.

19. Timed

First impressions are super important, especially knowing that it only takes 4 minutes to decide whether or not you like someone. It’s not just what you say either, your body language, tone and speed of voice are all factored in when making the decision.

18. Synchronized

When two lovers stare into each other’s eyes, their heartbeats will synchronize after about 3 minutes. That said, that’s a long time to be staring into someone’s eyes…

17. Addicted

Falling in love is almost like doing the drug Cocaine, as similar parts of the brain are triggered and affected by the chemical reaction (love). We don’t condone Cocaine, but we certainly condone falling in love.

16. Cuddle Cure

Oxytocin, the love drug, is released by the body when two people are cuddling. Research has found that a dose of Oxytocin decreases the pain of a headache significantly. Next time you get into a fight with your lover and you’ve got a headache, cuddle it out.

15. Leagues

People will often fall in love with and form relationships with those that are of a similar level of attractiveness. Even if one person in a relationship is more physically attractive than the other, the other most likely compensates with other socially and culturally desirable traits.

14. Heart Break

Heartbreak is very real. When experiencing the loss of a loved one, divorce, or betrayal, the brain releases chemicals that weaken the heart, and result in chest pain and shortness of breath. The condition (broken heart syndrome) affects women more often, and can be misdiagnosed as a heart attack.

13. Limited Time Only

Researchers suspect that romantic love lasts for about a year (tops). Romantic love is what makes you experience sweaty palms, butterflies, and euphoria. After the romantic love fades, it’s followed by what’s called committed love.

12. Association

Research has shown that thinking of love influences creativity and abstract thoughts, as well as long-term planning. Thinking of sex however influences immediate decision making and attention to momentary details.

11. Triangular

There are four types of love: romantic, companionate, fatuous, and consummate. Each type of love is made up with 2 of the 3 factors needed for love: passion, intimacy, and commitment. Romantic love is a combination of passion and intimacy, companionate is intimacy and commitment, and fatuous is passion and commitment. Consummate love, the strongest of the four, is the only one to be comprised of all three (passion, commitment, and intimacy).

10. Hand Holding

Next time you’re feeling stressed, try holding a loved one’s hand. Research has shown that doing so can decrease stress levels, and even relieve physical pain. Looks like love and pain-relief go hand-in-hand.

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9. Look At Me

When looking at a loved one, even if it’s just a picture, the pupils of the looker will dilate. Coincidentally, people with dilated pupils are perceived to be more attractive. No wonder people notice you the moment you’re in a relationship.

8. Love Matters

A 75-year-long study by Harvard found that patients happiness and life fulfilment almost exclusively revolved around love, or the search for love. So even if you never find it, simply looking for it will lead to a happier life.

7. Our Secret

Consciously trying to keep a romantic relationship a secret will heighten the romantic feelings both parties feel. So go ahead, hold off on making that Facebook relationship status for a few more days.

6. Self Care

People with higher self-esteem tend to have longer, more successful relationships than those without. If you can’t love yourself, how can you expect anyone else to?

5. Slow Down

Statistically, men are more likely to say “I love you” in a relationship than women. Men are also more likely to be more emotionally affected by break-ups than women are. Who said men weren’t in touch with their emotions?

4. Long Life

Men who kiss their wives in the morning are thought to live up to 5 years longer. That’s 5 more years to kiss their wives in the morning!

3. Loveless

Some people are incapable of experiencing love. The condition is known as hypopituitarism. The disease doesn’t just limit your ability to love though, so if you’re feeling incapable of love, maybe throw that into Google and make sure you’re not feeling other symptoms. The condition can also be managed with hormone replacement, putting love back on the menu.

2. Forever Young

On average, men will marry someone 3 years younger than them. If those men get married a second time, they tend to marry someone 5 years younger than them. If those same men get married a third time, they’ll usually marry someone 8 years or more younger than them.

1. What Women Want

Women around the world tend to fall in love with tall, funny, and successful men, as well as men with defined cheekbones and strong jawbones. All of these are indicators of high levels of testosterone, the confidence hormone.
Source : factinate.com