7 physical and psychological changes that happen when you fall in love

• Love leads to biological changes that have been observed in scientific research.
• Being in love can reduce stress, relieve pain, and make you happier.
• Here are seven ways your body and brain change when you fall in love.

Have you ever looked at your partner lovingly and felt your heart flutter, palms sweat, or mood instantly get better?

That’s because falling in love actually changes what happens in your body— for the better. When in love, neurochemicals like dopamine and oxytocin flood our brains in areas associated with pleasure and rewards, producing physical and psychological responses like less perceived pain, an addictive dependence, and a stronger desire for sex with your partner.

Cuddling, hugging, and kissing the one you love can instantly reduce stress and increase feelings of calm, trust, and security thanks to oxytocin, while your mood improves as a result of your reward center flooding with dopamine.

Here are seven ways your body and brain change when you fall in love.

SEE ALSO: The psychological reasons why we want what we can't have — and why we chase someone who pulls away

Being in love can lower your blood pressure.

Elevated blood pressure, or hypertension, is a dangerous condition that puts your body at increased risk for heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure. Medication and lifestyle changes like getting exercise and eating healthier can control or reduce hypertension, but research has also suggested that being in love can serve as a a natural way to reduce blood-pressure levels.

A 2007 study published by the US Department of Health Services looked at the relationship between marriage, physical health, and longevity, and found that married couples have lower blood pressure and a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease.

In a an analysis of cardiovascular disease risk, the American College of Cardiology looked at 3.5 million participants who were single, divorced, or widowed. They found that married couples under 50 years old tended to have a 12% lower risk of vascular disease. Married people between the ages of 51 and 60 had a 7% lower risk for disease than their unmarried counterparts.

You may feel more or less stressed than usual, depending on the stage of your relationship.

Falling for someone may be stressful in the beginning — there's uncertainty about whether they feel the same way, the possibility of rejection, and anxiety about when to say those three big words.

The initial stages of falling in love increase levels of cortisol, a hormone associated with stress, in new couples, according to a small study published in 2004. However, when the participants were tested 12 to 24 months later, their cortisol levels had returned to normal.

Though love can be stressful for some — especially in the early stages — it can potentially lower stress in the long run. A study published in 2005 in Neuroendocrinology Letters examined the neurobiology of those in love and found an association between people's stress response systems, known as the HPA axis activation, and the development of social attachment. The results suggest that forming a bond with your partner could help bring about physiological changes that reduce levels of anxiety.

You feel more attached and safe.

One reason why you feel less stressed may be because being in love makes you feel safe and develop trust towards your loved one.

Oxytocin, a hormone released through physical contact like hugging, kissing, and sex, deepens feelings of attachment towards your partner and produces sensations of contentment, calmness, and security, according to a Harvard Medical School report.

Oxytocin also plays a role in social bonding, maternal instinct and reproduction, and sexual pleasure. The “love hormone” substantially increases social attachment and trust among partners, according to a study published in Nature.