Love may not be everything, but it sure is a lot. According to some, the way we love, the amount we love, and the degree to which we are loved forms the basis of our overall health and wellness. Dean Ornish, M.D. sums it up best in Love & Survival: the Scientific Basis for the Healing Power of Intimacy:

“Love and intimacy are the root of what makes us sick and what makes us well, what causes sadness and what brings happiness, what makes us suffer and what leads to healing. Our survival depends on the healing power of love, intimacy, and relationships.”

The CDC reported that people who are in long-term loving relationships (like marriage) are less likely to be smokers, less likely to drink alcohol, more physically active, and less likely to suffer from headaches, back pain, and psychological stress disorders. Loving relationships can also help ease anxiety. Neuroscientists have found that married women experiencing extreme stress feel immediate relief when they hold their husbands’ hands.

Romantic relationships are not the only way to benefit from love. The love that you feel for a child, parent, or friend can also fill you with a sense of meaning and fulfillment that can lead to improved health and vitality. Love is also seen in unselfish acts like helping someone less fortunate. The Institute for Research on Unlimited Love has initiated some of the first research on the effects of love — manifested as compassion, altruism, service, or general warmth and affection — on health and wellness. The Institute’s preliminary research [PDF ] has linked parental love to lower morbidity and less psychological distress and love in general has been connected to greater self esteem, less suicidal behavior, and higher global self-ratings of health.

There really isn’t a better excuse to love. Have a happy, healthy Valentine’s Day!

[via New York Times and Fox News]

Image: holidays.lovingyou.com