The month of love is here! Whether you have plans on Valentine’s Day or not, there’s much to celebrate about the power of love. Research suggests that having a stronger sense of love can be good for your health. And it’s not just romantic love, platonic and familial love and cultivating stronger social relationships with friends and family can benefit your overall health, both mentally and physically.
Here’s how being in love can boost your health.
You take better care of yourself
Having people around you who are practicing good habits makes it much simpler to adopt them yourself. You're more likely to stick with healthy habits if your partner, friends, or family members encourage (and practice) these healthy behaviors, including:
Eating better
Quitting vices such as smoking and heavy drinking
Having good personal hygiene
Exercising
You get a sense of bliss
Know that warm fuzzy feeling when you feel like you have a strong connection with someone? This very natural consequence of falling in love — and the sense of happiness — can be linked to the neurotransmitter dopamine, also known as the “feel-good” brain chemical.
Conversely, several studies have shown the negative effects of loneliness and isolation on one’s health, including:
Cardiovascular disease and stroke
Weight gain
Increased stress levels and depression
Alcohol and drug misuse
Alzheimer's disease progression
– And peace
Dopamine isn't the only neurotransmitter at play when it comes to love. When you’re in love, your brain also releases oxytocin, which is casually known as ‘love hormones’. Oxytocin levels can increase a person's sense of safety, trust, and attachment. This is the reason why you feel comfortable and relaxed in their presence.
Your mood can also be boosted by the positive feelings brought on by the release of dopamine and oxytocin. The support and presence of someone you love can make you less anxious and easier for you to handle difficult life circumstances.
You’re glowing
You may notice changes in your skin, such as more breakouts and acne, when you're unhappy or stressed. This occurs as a result of the body releasing stress hormones such as cortisol and androgens. These hormones may boost the oil production on your skin, which can worsen acne.
On the flip side, when you’re in love or have strong relationships in your life, you may find your skin health improving. For one, as we’ve shared, being in love can boost your mood, with the release of all the feel-good hormones — and this already has a net positive on your skin, due to their anti-inflammatory properties.
Additionally, when you’re in love, there’s increased blood flow to your skin which improves the supply of vital nutrients and oxygen to your skin cells, which keeps your skin supple and soft and reduces the appearance of wrinkles.
As you can see, having strong relationships in our lives can have numerous benefits for our health. In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, whether you’re spending it with your partner, friends, or your family, we’d like to share the gift of health with you: use promo code DACONSULT30 on the Doctor Anywhere app and save ₱30 on your FIRST video consultation with a General Practitioner.
Maxicare members are fully covered for video consultations with general practitioners and specialists, and no LOA is required. Video consultations with general practitioners are completely covered and require no LOA for members of Cocolife Healthcare, HMI, Lacson & Lacson Insurance Brokers, and Cigna. Link your corporate HMO or insurance by logging in to the Doctor Anywhere app, then tap 'Profile' > 'Membership & Benefits' > 'Link membership'.
Note: Promo code can only be used once per account, for first consultation with a General Practitioner only. Promo runs until December 31, 2024. Per DTI Fair Trade Permit No. FTEB-182380 Series of 2023.
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