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Only love can break your heart ... and ruin your health as well
By Mark Prigg, Evening Standard Last updated at 11:16am on 06.08.07
Scientists say falling in love can seriously damage your health
Falling in love can seriously damage your health, scientists warned today.
Researchers at Imperial College said the range of physical effects caused by the ups and downs of romance can cause serious long-term damage to the human body.
"Our bodies are constantly going through a rollercoaster of emotions and love has some very obvious physical effects," said Professor Martin Cowie of Imperial College.
"Our pupils dilate, our palms become sweaty and the heart rate increases. We have large amounts of adrenaline running through our system and that does cause problems for the body." Professor Cowie said stressrelated illnesses at work arose from near-identical physical phenomena.
He added: "We have seen a big rise in people complaining of flu-like symptoms over a long period of time. That is simply due to stress."
Professor Cowie is opening the Heartfelt Emotions exhibition this week at the £30 million Wellcome Trust centre in Euston Road and will present his research on Saturday.
Inability to acknowledge the effects of emotion on our health makes things worse, he added. "If people are suffering from emotional problems, they need to acknowledge the effect on their health. There is a feeling that talking about emotions somehow makes you weak, but there is a real link between emotions and health.
"We know, for instance, that newly widowed men have a 50 per cent higher chance of serious heart problems following their spouse's death."
Research has also found that stress affects the sexes very differently. Professor Cowie said that after a major loss, the death rate for men was higher than for women. "This is an area that really requires more research," he said.
Reader views (2)
Kind of a silly story. How can being alone and not experiencing the joys of being in love be good for you?
- Sher, USA
On the contrary, being in love is good for you! It's one of best feelings in the world is to feel loved and the rush that goes with it. There's no way it can be bad for you, at least until you get dumped that is.
- Suzy, Twickenham
