How to know if you're falling for someone

They say that when you meet the one you just know. Yet they also told us that a certain jolly man who wears a red suit was real and they sure got that wrong. So, we're almost certain that if they can be mistaken about that, then they can be wrong about instantly knowing if you're in love with the one. Here we show you seven signs that you are head over heels in love, so that you can know for sure if it's love or if it's just lust.

Crazy in love

Well, Beyoncé sure got it right when she released Crazy In Love. It turns out that when we fall for someone our brain actually behaves similarly to how it would if we had a mental illness. This deranged state is thought to be caused by one of the most important chemicals in love; serotonin.

Although serotonin affects us all in different ways, a study undertaken in 1990 by an Italian researcher found that those people who had recently fallen for someone showed symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Order. Maybe Romeo and Juliet would have behaved differently if they'd have known that their feelings were just a chemical reaction?

You become a vampire

For those of us who are not crazy in love with a new guy or girl, when the alarm goes off we get up after enjoying at least six hours sleep and grab some breakfast. We will then go on to tuck into another two meals during the day before heading back to bed at night. Yet if you're in a new relationship you may not be doing these everyday things. Instead you seem to be becoming more and more like a vampire. You have lost your appetite and you don't seem to sleep much anymore. If you don't sleep or eat then it's a clear sign you've fallen for someone. We're sure all of the Twilight fans are excited about this news.

Nothing gets you down

So you lost out on a promotion at work and you just found out your two best friends are leaving to go travelling for a year on the other side of the world without you; how do you feel? If you're surprisingly upbeat then it's a sure sign you're in love. Researchers have found that when we fall in love the prefrontal cortex in our brains, which is associated with negative emotions, becomes deactivated. At the same time other areas associated with pleasure and happiness become active. This means that things that would normally get you down don't seem to affect you too much.

They seem perfect

Do you think that your new guy or girl is absolutely perfect? Do you think they're absolutely perfect even though they eat with their mouth open, have an abnormal amount of body hair and have an unhealthy obsession with country music? If you still love them despite quirks that would typically drive you wild, then it's a sign you've fallen in love. Studies suggest that the area of our brain that handles our social judgement deactivates when we fall in love. This effect of love is thought to last for up to two and half years, which is quite incredible. Amazingly it is thought that by disabling this area of our brain we are able to build stable relationships, which in turn aids our abilities to raise kids.

You feel like a teenager

We all remember feeling clammy handed when we talked to a boy or girl who we liked when we were teenagers. Yet we're grownups now, so surely we're too old to be feeling like that? Well, don't be so sure. If those teenage nerves and feelings seem to be flooding back with vengeance whenever you see or speak to your new partner then it's a sign you're madly in love. When we fall for someone our norepinephrine levels shoot up and this chemical is what makes our hearts race and our hands sweat.

You forgot your birthday

Who could forget their own birthday? The answer: someone in love. If you can't think of anyone or anything else other than your new guy or girl then we're happy to tell you you're in love. Be warned though, thinking of nothing else other than your new love has some hazards. For example, be careful not to doodle your new partner's name on your notepad whilst in a very important meeting or accidentally call your boss your new partner's name. Who knew love could land you in so much trouble?

You're blind

Everyone knows the phrase love is blind, but there is in fact some truth in these words. Experts have found that people who have recently fallen in love tend to not feel attracted to other people. So, the hot colleague you've always flirted with when you've met one another in the stationary cupboard may suddenly hold no interest for you anymore. It is thought that our inability to see anyone else as attractive other than our new love interest stems from our increased levels of dopamine, which has been associated with our ability to focus.

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5 signs your boyfriend loves you

Top 7 ways to tell someone you love them

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