Tag Archive for: neurotransmitters

Today is Valentines Day or the one day a year that people celebrate love. During the month of February we are writing posts about all things heart healthy. The heart is also refered to in romantic terms and symbolically linked to feelings of love and loss. Of course the truth is, it is our brains doing the “feeling”, but if you have ever loved or lost you may have felt an actual joy or pain in your ticker.

When we are falling in love our brain releases endorphins. Endorphins are neurotransmitters in our brain that make us feel amazing! Exercising, having sex and laughing all cause endorphins to be released.  Eating chocolate has also been linked to endorphin ‘highs’. Endorphins are naturally produced in our brains and are addictive in the sense that we keep repeating actions that will give us these feelings of happiness and euphoria. This may explain why no matter how many times we get our hearts broken we still seeking out and fall in love.

So whether you have a Valentine today or not, do something that is good for your heart! Watch a funny movie, go do your favorite exercise, buy some delicious chocolate or love your partner! The path to a healthy heart is not only what you put in, it is also about what you put out!

Happy Valentine’s Day!!