USC Health Now

While we know that spring brings with it longer, warmer days, and the beauty of nature's blossoms, but is this season of renewal also ripe for romance? Is there any truth to the adage, "Love is in the air?" Here, a USC expert offers answers along with evidence that love and good health go hand in hand.

March 24, 2008

by Carrie St. Michel

"In the spring a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love."

Seems that Alfred Lord Tennyson, the well-known English poet and writer of these words, was spot on with his lyrical observation.

"While obviously you can fall in love at any time during the year, there certainly are factors at work during spring that can make this more likely," explains Julie Albright, Ph.D., lecturer in the Department of Sociology at the USC College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

Albright, who also is a licensed marriage and family therapist, gives nods to both nature and culture. In terms of nature, animal instincts and the weather come into play. "Humans are wired to respond to sexual signals, such as the curve of a woman's body or the musculature of a man," Albright notes. "In the winter, it's cold, rainy, and many states are snowy, so people simply don't go out as much and, when they do, they're bundled up.

So not only are there fewer opportunities to meet people," she adds, "but you also can't pick up on sexual signals from someone who's wearing a pile of winter clothing. When it's spring, people want to be outside, and they're not hidden under all those layers. So the opportunity to meet people, and pick up on sexual signals, is much greater."

Culture comes into play, according to Albright, "because there's a tendency among couples who are in shaky relationships to stay together during the December holidays so they won't be alone during what's considered a special time of year. The start of a new year motivates a lot of people in this situation to break up. By the time spring arrives," says Albright, "they're ready to start dating again, so the pool of potential mates widens."

Science and Spring

In addition to Albright's explanations, the notion that spring's arrival ignites love receives scientific backing as well. Many in the medical and scientific communities point to melatonin, a hormone produced in the brain by the pineal gland. Increased levels of melatonin are accompanied by tiredness and sluggishness. As the days grow longer in spring, the pineal gland produces less melatonin, and energy levels consequently increase. While this energy boost can be applied to any number of activities, looking for love likely ranks high on the to-do lists of those unattached.

Spring's role as a romantic catalyst also has been linked to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Most SAD sufferers experience normal mental health throughout the year, but become depressesd when winter arrives. While the specific cause of SAD remains a subject of debate, many believe it's rooted in exposure to light, and the fact that there's less sunlight during winter months. This seasonal depression dissipates with the arrival of spring and increased sunlight.

"Someone experiencing SAD would probably not be prone to pursuing a relationship," observes Albright. "That could certainly change though, when their mood lifts in the spring."

The Love/Long Life Connection

Regardless of the season in which it strikes, love—according to a growing volume of research—does a body good.

If love leads to marriage, men, in particular, experience a host of health benefits. "Research has consistently shown that married men are physically and mentally healthier than their single counterparts," Albright says.

According to "Love Promotes Health," a study jointly conducted by U.S. and German researchers, "Love, compassion and joy make our immune system function better and help to battle diseases." Additionally, "Love possesses a strong and overall stress-reducing potential."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has even put its stamp of approval on Cupid couplings, reporting in a 2005 study that married people are healthier than those who are single, divorced, widowed or separated. The CDC report found that married couples were half as likely to be smokers than non-marrieds, were less likely to drink alcohol, were physically more active than non-marrieds, and were also less likely to suffer from headaches, back pain and psychological stress disorders.

Specifically, the CDC offered this summation: "Married persons were healthier for nearly every measure of health."

Tips for the Season

Now that spring has officially arrived, Albright offers some tips for those who want to capitalize on the calendar's most likely season for love. "Men generally aren't as good at reading nonverbal signals, so if a woman is attracted to a man, she needs to make eye contact, smile, and just be very clear that she's open and interested."

For their part, Albright adds, "Many men have a tendency to stare at a woman's body rather than focus on her face. Some will even make comments about her body. So men need to tone it down a bit," concludes Albright, "while women need to turn it up a bit."