However, our hearts do not beat like metronomes – the time between each heart beat actually varies, and this variation can be measured – it’s called heart rate variability (HRV). Your heart rate is the speed that your heart is beating and is measured in beats per minute. Most people are familiar with the idea of heart rate – that’s also called your “pulse” and it’s what the doctor is checking when they touch your wrist. So, why does all of this even matter, you may ask! Well, it matters for many different reasons but one of them has to do with heart rate variability and coherence. However, it turns out that the heart actually secretes more oxytocin than the brain! Our hearts truly are our love factories. Oxytocin has long been known as the “love hormone” as it’s responsible for creating those lovey feelings of attachment between mother and baby and two people in a romantic relationship. We now know that the heart also synthesizes and releases catecholamines (epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine) and even oxytocin. We have known for years that the heart secretes atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), which inhibits the release of stress hormones, reduces sympathetic outflow and interacts with the immune system to influence motivation and behavior.
The heart is actually an endocrine gland and secretes multiple hormones and neurotransmitters. We now know that the heart controls the brain through at least four mechanisms: neurologically (nerve impulses), biochemically (hormones and neurotransmitters), biophysically (pressure waves) and energetically (electromagnetic field). Our hearts make decisions and can feel and sense things that are brains cannot.
Our “heart brains” literally have a mind of their own, and they send messages to the brain, which it obeys, affecting attention level, motivation, perceptual sensitivity and emotional processing. In fact, there are more signals traveling from the heart to the brain than vice versa. We now know that not only does the brain control the heart, but the heart controls the brain. Researchers have discovered that we actually have at least three “brains” in our bodies – one in our head, one in our gut, and yes, one in our heart. Our hearts are not only where we feel love, but also where we make decisions and find our inner wisdom. However, due to some amazing research by the organization Heart Math, we now know that the story is even more complicated. This is a fancy sounding term for what physicians have effectively identified as a “broken heart” that occurs after an intense stressor such as the death of a loved one. In fact, I did learn about a condition called Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in med school. The idea that love may be related to our hearts shouldn’t be all that surprising. Well it turns out that this isn’t actually true and we were right all along. We have been taught that love is an emotion, and emotions reside in our brains. We say things like “I love you with all of my heart” and “I am so broken hearted.” But this isn’t what I learned in med school or what you probably believe. Perhaps your cells are now vibrating with the energy of joy.For centuries our hearts have been known as a place of love. Expand to other areas of your body including cells and organs.Be as creative as you’d like, such as picturing them as healing light energy or shooting stars as your brain tingles. Visualize sending these feelings (aka, input) from your heart to your brain.Allow a smile to form as you savor the moment.
You can even give them happy or soothing colors.
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