Love is a bit like one disease. First we are fine and then all of a sudden we feel strange sensations. In fact, love is not just a mental issue. What we feel has repercussions on a physical level as well. Some “symptoms” of love also help us understand how we feel about someone. Do we blush in his presence? Do our hearts beat fast? The most common of these is to feel the so-called butterflies in the stomach. But what is their cause? That’s why we feel butterflies in our stomachs when we’re in love.
Emotions are in our belly
If we think about it, it is not only when we are in love that we feel something change in our belly. Who among us hasn’t been assaulted by cramps and aches before an exam or question? When we experience strong emotions such as fear, surprise or anxiety, our digestive system responds immediately. Our brains aren’t the only ones that are full of nerve endings.
Even our intestines are full of them and are always in communication with our brain. Our emotions therefore always cause changes to the digestive tract which will contract or relax depending on the eventuality thanks to the activation of the autonomic nervous system.
That’s why we feel butterflies in the stomach when we are in love
The so-called butterflies in the stomach are therefore a response of our digestive system to our emotions. If we notice these are often associated with other symptoms such as lump in the throat, increased heartbeat and sweating. This is because our body experiences falling in love as a bit of a threat. When we think or see the object of our love, especially if we do not yet know if it is reciprocated, our brain activates alarm and stress signals. These cause the digestive system to contract so that it will receive less blood.
In nature this reaction is useful for flight or combat because the blood that no longer goes to the stomach and intestines and therefore can be used by the other muscles. This mechanism of the autonomic nervous system is activated by adrenaline and cortisol. The fact that butterflies in the stomach are linked to situations of stress and uncertainty, although disguised as love, also justifies their short duration. In fact, according to a study, these are short-lived. They seem to disappear after only a year, a period during which the relationship becomes solid and causes less uncertainty.
(We remind you to carefully read the warnings in this regard, which can be consulted who”)
—
