February 8, 2016

It’s well known that a healthy dose of self-love can have a positive impact on your life. Studies show that sharing love with others can also be good for our health.

It’s been found that people in lasting, loving relationships have a better quality of life than their single counterparts. Married people are said to “live longer, have better access to health care, enjoy a more satisfying sex life, experience less stress, live a healthier lifestyle, and have lower rates of heart disease, diabetes and depression.”

Fortunately, you don’t need to have a marriage license to reap the health benefits. Simple, loving gestures have been shown to improve our lives.

•  Aromatherapy. Candles can set the mood for a romantic evening, and the right scents can also provide many health benefits as well. Ginger, lavender, and peppermint are thought to help headaches. Chamomile, lemon, and sandalwood may help relieve stress. And some scents that are thought to have aphrodisiac properties like jasmine, rose and vanilla.

• Flowers. A Rutgers University study shows that flowers are a “powerful positive emotion ‘inducer’.” In the study, women who were presented with flowers were more likely to be in a positive mood over the next three days. The elderly participants who were presented with flowers saw memory improvement.

• Small touches. In a study reported to the American Psychosomatic Society, holding hands with a partner for 10 minutes or sharing a brief hug can “greatly reduce the harmful physical effects of stress” such as their heart rate and blood pressure. Such touches increased serotonin and dopamine, chemicals that aid the pleasure centers in our brains.

• Massages. It turns out that ending a long day with a warm massage from your sweetheart is great medicine for both body and mind. Massages are known to lower the levels of cortisol, reduce our heart rate, and relax our muscles, but that’s not all.