Love is not always a spoken bond. Often, physical signs of love can be even stronger than words, but how do you spot them?
Saying “I love you” is not the only way to spot love. Whether from someone else or within you, physical signs of love can take over.
These physical sign of love make you feel exuberant or miserable depending on your situation, but love is not just something in your mind. It manifests in your behavior, your health, and even your appetite. [Read: What is real love, and 15 special ways it sets itself apart]
What are physical signs of love?
You may think that when you are in love, you will just know. And when someone is in love with you, they will tell you. But that is not always the case. Actually, it is rarely the case.
Love shows itself in many forms. We see it with romantic gestures all the time. Rose petals, champagne, and jewelry are all material signs of love. But physical signs of love are not always what you would expect.
Sure, sometimes a physical sign of love can be butterflies in your tummy, but most often, the physical signs of love are unpleasant or at least unsettling. This is a strong feeling making its way into your bones.
Love is not just a word. It is what has lent itself to the most well-known songs, books, and movies. It creates families, humanity, and more. When you feel love, it affects every part of you: mind, soul, and body. [Read: How to know when you’re in real love – 50 signs you just can’t ignore]
Physical signs of love
Unsure whether someone is in love? Are you actually in love? You are not alone. Love is a complicated and finicky feeling. It can be confused with attraction, infatuation, and other romantic feelings.
But, to know for sure, learn to spot the physical signs of love. These will show themselves at all times of the day and night. You will notice them within yourself and even in others if you look hard enough.
#1 Staring. When you are falling in love with someone, seeing them gives you a nice warm feeling. Due to your body’s reaction to seeing this person, you tend to stare at them. Whether you are cuddling together on the sofa or across the room from them at work, you will be drawn to looking at them when you are in love.
It sounds weird and a little bit like a child with a crush, but it is true. Love makes you do some weird things and staring is one of them. Just try not to get caught. They might think you’re crazy, not in love. Although those two can be intertwined. [Read: 20 subconscious signs of attraction that show up between two people]
#2 Closeness. Love flows through your body. When your body reacts to you being in love, you will want to be as close to this person as possible. You will not only choose to sit next to them, but you will have a hard time keeping your hands off each other.
And I do not just mean that in a sexual way. Just sitting at dinner together when you’re in love will guide you to hold hands, put your hand on their thigh, and more small gestures like this. The touch of the person you love, even this small, boosts those happy feelings you get when in love. [Read: How to flirt and subtly seduce by touch]
#3 Irrational thinking. You know when your friend is in love. They do crazy stuff for this person, even if they aren’t treated the same in return! That is the irrational thinking jumping in. When you are in love, logic goes out the window. You don’t think in your normal way.
Love blurs your rational thoughts. You might drive three hours just to see this person for an hour. You might run through an airport and pay for a ticket just to meet them at the gate to tell them how you feel. You know, all that stuff. If you are willing to do things you never would have done otherwise, love is the culprit. [Read: Why we fall in love – a little science, a little fate!]
#4 Nerves. Sure, we get nerves on first dates, even when we don’t know or like the person. But, the nerves are different with love. You sweat more and your heart rate rises. This is your body reacting to such strong feelings.
Now, this is not a physical sign of love that will last forever, usually, but it often shows itself right at the start. You will feel giddy and special around the person you have feelings of love for.
#5 Addiction. Not only are we addicted to the feeling of love, but we can even be addicted to this person. When you are first in love, you thrive around this person. You hate to say goodbye and cannot wait to see them again. Have you seen The Bachelor?
The dopamine you get around this person makes you crave being with them. Similar to an addiction to caffeine, chocolate, or even drugs, a physical sign of love is reacting to being around them and being away from them. Apart from the person you love you might feel down or like you are going through minor withdrawals. [Read: What is dopamine? The dopest pleasure pill inside of you]
#6 Lack of focus. Love messes with your mind. Sometimes in a good way like when you have happy little daydreams. But, love can cause your mind to wander away from work or other important tasks. It is a strong feeling that takes over a lot of your reasoning.
So, when you are supposed to be focused on school or work, your mind will wander off to more enjoyable thoughts about the person you love and your potential future together.
#7 Insomnia. I am sure you have seen a movie or two that talks about love in terms of can’t eat and can’t sleep. And that is not just some Hollywood exaggeration. When you show physical signs of love, they manifest in all sorts of ways. They overtake your relaxation and cause you to overanalyze and overthink.
You play through your past interaction or imagine future interactions instead of drifting off to sleep. You lay in bed thinking of this person or relationship rather than shutting off your brain and actually sleeping. Love can even take over your sleep by driving your dreams. [Read: 12 signs to recognize true love when you feel it]
#8 Loss of appetite. Our appetites are greatly affected by our feelings. Just a simple bad mood can make you lose your appetite. So, when you feel something as strong as love, it messes with your stomach.
It can make you feel nauseous and queasy. It can also just make you forget to eat because your mind is overrun by thoughts of love. Although a loss of appetite is most common when it comes to physical signs of love, it can also manifest into a stronger appetite for some. So look out for changes in appetite.
#9 Jealousy. The green-eyed monster loves to show its ugly head when love is involved. And if you have ever felt jealous, you know it is not just a thought or feeling, but your whole body builds up worry and rage.
Jealousy is an odd physical sign of love. It sours your mood and makes you anxious. It leads to you acting even more irrationally and even lashing out.
#10 Sexual desire. Yes, this one is a given, but it is also very important to note. In my experience, love can cloud your judgment. I am not saying that you should stop yourself from fulfilling your sexual desires, but your body is essentially thirsty for this person.
When you are in love, your body tells you to quench that thirst. This is a major physical sign of love. Not only do you want to be near this person, but your hormones are running amok. [Read: The 10 signs you’re probably feeling lust and not love]
#11 Excitement. Another physical signs of love you probably could have guessed, but it still deserves a mention. When you’re in love, your body is in a constant state of excitement *not that kind of excitement, get your mind out of the gutter*.
But, that excitement you get before going on vacation or after a new haircut is multiplied and is just always there when you are in love. It can make you talk faster, have a higher pitched voice, and even feel antsy.
[Read: The science-backed proof you need to know you’re in love for sure]
By now you should be able to spot the physical signs of love in yourself or someone else. And if you have, congratulations, enjoy it.