Brian Ogolsky, University of Illinois professor of Human Development and Family Studies, has completed research — and published a research paper — that has found that “when partners are close to each other, their heart rates synchronize in complex patterns of interaction.”
How cute is that?
Of course, it’s more complicated and I suggest that you read the paper or the ACES News article (both linked above).
From the ACES News article:
The study included 10 heterosexual, married couples, ages 64 to 88, who had been in their relationships from 14 to 65 years. The researchers followed the couples for two weeks, continuously tracking their heart rates and their proximity to each other when at home.
The findings indicated a lead-lag relationship in heart rate synchronization, where one partner leads and the other follows. Sometimes the wife’s heart rate would lead the change and other times the husband’s heart rate would change and the wife’s would follow.
Top image of Brian Ogolsky from the ACES News website.
