As our lives become more dependent on technology we begin to suffer from lack of human interaction. Romance is gone, replaced by blue monitors and gadgets where men and women try to seal the deal for a date. Or something similar: most millennials don’t put down the smart devices on dates, so they keep browsing the internet and talk to their friends on WhatsApp during what was supposed to be a romantic date. Bottom line: our love life is suffering. When you do manage to take your new relationship to intimacy, you notice there is no love involved at all. Auch!
Thankfully, science can help you retrieve the lost romance and take your love life to another level. This is possible because love comes from the brain, not from the heart. What we take as matters of the soul are actually matters of the brain, which controls the production of hormones, which in turn control our emotions.
Each time you feel the “butterflies” — or you feel like kicking someone — your brain is to blame. To dive into Jane Austen-style romance, you need to convince your brain to boost the production of endorphins, the happiness hormones, and decrease the production of cortisol, the stress hormone. This can be done by tweaking your lifestyle and embracing these simple tips and tricks.
Hydrate to boost your mood.
Coffee and soda promote dehydration, which leads to a lot of health issues, from headaches to an irritable mood. Your partner is not going to like the angry version of yourself, so you need to hydrate in order to be yourself. This can be done by switching to tea instead of coffee and replacing soda with water. Your body will thank you for this change, as well as your partner.
Cut down the dairy intake.
Testosterone increases passion, but dairies decrease the level of this hormone in your body. For a memorable night, cut down on the cheese and other dairy foods. There are many ways to replace dairy in your diet, so don’t worry about this change.
The biggest enemies of testosterone are cheese and yoghurt, so aim to cut them from your meals. There are other foods which decrease passion, so make sure you skip them when you want to enjoy a romantic night, walking under the stars.
Exercise to increase endorphin levels.
Endorphins are the hormones which make you feel good, so you need to boost their level as much as possible to get more from your love life. Exercising is one of the activities which boosts your endophins, as well as improves your overall health. The type of exercising advised for increasing romance is cycling: a study showed that 20 minutes of cycling increases sexual desire in women. So, go cycling before a date!
A massage increases oxytocin levels.
Touching another human increases the level of oxytocin in the body, which makes a massage the perfect trick to boost pleasure. To get the best results from your massage, pay attention to the essential oils you use. Lavender promotes relaxation; cinnamon, ginger, and jasmine are known as aphrodisiac essential oils. However, you need to find your own mix of fragrances for your massage oils, because each person responds differently to smells.
Improve your mood with music.
Music and dance had been linked to love since the beginning of times, and the modern days are no different. Studies proved that listening to music can set you in the right mood for love. Use a high quality speaker and put on a sensual playlist, then carry on with your regular routine. The music is going to increase the romantic feel and will make everything a lot more exciting. If you and your partner have a taste for dance, start the evening with a tango, which is going to increase your endorphins level, decrease the cortisol, and promote touching.
More sleep for more love.
Your love life is altered by your sleep patterns — to be more specific, by the lack of sleep. When you are sleep deprived, your cortisol level increases and testosterone level drops. This decreases your mood for love, so it messes with your relationships. To get a good night sleep, make sure your bedroom is dark and cool. Draw the curtains and invest in silk bedding, which ensures a cool bed and a deep sleep.
Featured photo credit: Albumarium via albumarium.com
