We all know the immense pain we feel when our heart has been broken. It feels like we’ve taken a punch in the gut; we can’t sleep… we can’t eat… Nothing feels right and sometimes we can feel as if we can’t go on.
There is actually a scientific reason for why you feel the way you do, and it has to do with hormones that are coursing through your system during this emotional time. Ironically, these are the very same hormones that make you so insanely happy when you’re falling in love. They just work in the opposite direction in our emotions when we’re heartbroken.
It’s important to know that heartbreak really does physically hurt. Functional MRI scans of people who have recently been through a breakup show a higher than normal activity in the region of the brain that registers physical pain. In short, the pain of heartbreak is a real physical experience.
Here Are 10 Things That Happen To Your Body When You’re Heartbroken:
1. Changes Your Brain Chemistry
In a study published in the Journal of Neurophysiology they found that romantic rejection is a specific form of addiction. “The perspective that rejection in love involves subcortical reward/gain/loss systems critical to survival helps to explain why feelings and behaviors related to romantic rejection are difficult to control and lends insight into the high cross-cultural rates of stalking, homicide, suicide, and clinical depression associated with rejection in love.”
So those same hormones that made you feel so good when you were falling in love or in a relationship, go through significant withdrawals when you are heartbroken and can lead to irrational ideas in an attempt to get the good feelings back. It’s important during the beginning of heartbreak, when feelings are at their peak, to do everything you can to take care of yourself, to stay calm, and to feel loved.
2. Depression
A period of depression can set in after a heartbreak. As a drop in dopamine levels is experienced and we no longer have the positive feelings we had from being with the person we were in love with, the resulting feeling is depression. This can lead to significant problems, so if you are feeling depressed, make sure to talk with someone about what you are going through. Opening up and getting support from other trusted individuals, or a counselor, can work wonders and keep you free from sliding into depression.
3. Weakened Immune System
We are naturally surrounded by germs, but when we are healthy we can ward them off and avoid getting sick. Being under stress from any source, including heartbreak, can weaken the immune system. During times of stress your body produces fewer white blood cells, which are the body’s defense against infection, so the body can become more prone to illness. Do what you can to manage your stress levels to stay healthy; take a walk in nature, do a yoga class, take a warm bath, listen to peaceful music, talk to a friend, anything healthy that helps you feel relieved.
4. Loss Of Appetite
This is a very real result due to the high levels of cortisol and adrenaline in the system during the experience of emotional and physical pain. Cortisol relates to high blood sugar and adrenaline slows down digestion. Those two effects combined reduce the appetite and make us feel like we aren’t hungry.
5. Insomnia
This is also due to the adrenaline in the body that is released during the stress and heartbreak of losing someone. The mind often won’t shut down allowing you to sleep, making it very difficult to get enough rest during the night.
6. Reduced Motivation
The combined effect of sadness, withdrawal, lack of sleep and an overall low self-worth can make it very hard to get up and get motivated in the morning. We may also feel exhausted at the end of each day, as the stress from these painful feelings takes a lot of energy. Make sure you take it easy on yourself during this time and allow yourself sufficient time to relax and have days off. But on the flip side, know that talking with others and being around others will help you immensely.
7. Decreased Activity Levels
When we’re tired from not sleeping and not in a good mood, we usually don’t feel like doing much of anything, least of all, exercising. Even though this is one of the most important things that will help us feel better, we tend to avoid it when feeling heartbroken. Maintaining regular exercise habits is very much worth it though, as exercise increases endorphins in our bodies, which are natural positive mood enhancers.
8. Unhealthy Eating
When all we want to do is sooth our broken heart, we can tend to reach for comfort foods like ice cream, or foods high in saturated fats and sugar. Research has shown that stress eating is a side effect of broken heart syndrome. This is okay temporarily, but be careful that you don’t start viewing food as an emotional healer rather than as a fuel for your body. Eating healthy is necessary to feel good emotionally, and to feel good in general, so do your best to keep a healthy diet while enjoying your chocolate in between meals.
9. Skin Problems
Another effect that stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline can cause is the skin to break out. Rashes, hives, or acne may show up during stressful times directly after a breakup. Other causes of skin problems during heartbroken times can be not sleeping enough and having an unhealthy diet.
10. Headaches
Emotional stress causes tension throughout the entire body, and we often feel the effects in our heads first. When this stress is compounded with not sleeping well or eating well, and headaches can become frequent. Make sure you are drinking enough water and getting fresh air to help reduce headaches. A massage during this time may do wonders as well.
If you are experiencing the effects of being heartbroken, just know that you are not alone; so many of us have and do experience this and can relate and show love for how you are feeling.
Knowing that this is indeed a real physical and mental condition can help you work through it better. It’s not just your emotions, and you are not being irrational; your body and mind are indeed going through some significant experiences. Give yourself some time, exercise, eat healthy, rest, and talk to your friends, as research has shown talking about our feelings helps us work through them.
Have you experienced any of these 10 symptoms when you felt heartbroken?
Let us know in the comments.
Stay strong, you’ll get through this!
See Also: 10 Ways To Supercharge Your Dopamine Levels To Never Feel Sad, Stressed Or Depressed
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