Men and women have the same rush of butterflies in our stomachs and hormones flooding our brains when we are falling in love. But to get to know the men in our lives better, here are some fun facts.

All About Hormones

Testosterone is the big hormone which fuels men and makes them men. It is responsible for raising levels of aggression (among others) which gives him the drive to pursue a potential mate and “fight off” the competition. When a man is in love and engages in physical intimacy with his sweetheartfrom the bedroom to that simple kiss goodbye and enthusiastic hug hellohis oxytocin levels rise which counteracts the testosterone and makes him feel calmer, safe and loved. This change prepares him to settle down for a committed stay and bring up childrenwho will further alter his brain chemistry.

Living Pain-Free

It is not recommended that you test this one but when men are in love and all that oxytocin is flooding their bodies, it sends a signal down the spinal cord that blocks the pain signal. Basically, love is a natural painkiller. Additionally, that oxytocin is causing him to become addicted to us. If he is away for the weekend, he will miss us and possibly suffer withdrawals. Now isn’t that sweet?

Men Love Red

No one knows why exactly but men love the color red. It attracts and excites them more than any other color. So wearing that red dress or bright red shade of lipstick or having fiery red hair will all catch his eye and attention (and every other guy in the room) immediately. And he will be on a cloud knowing that he gets to take you home while all those other guys have to settle for their non-red dates.

Bring On The Curves

Throughout history, men have preferred a full figured woman with plenty of healthy curves over the popular stick-figures that fashion dictates we become. This is because a little bit of curvature signals that a healthy woman is potentially fertile which is really the basic underlying reason for why men search out a mate. They want to procreate. This is considerable easier with a healthy woman.

Compliments Galore

Men are tough on the outside but on the inside, they are just as mushy, soft and vulnerable as we are and they love to feel appreciated. They don’t receive compliments very often so when they do get one, they hold onto it for years. Even if it’s as simple as, “I like your shirt,” they will never throw that shirt away. Give him a compliment and he will be head over heels for us in no time.

All About Respect

Men love to be respected. It is hardwired into their DNA. They don’t always care if we love them; he is really more concerned if we respect him as a man. Respect is very different than authority though; a good man will never demand that we obey his every command and then accuse us being disrespectful if we don’t. A good man simply wants us to let him be himself, have his own space and that we don’t belittle him in public.

Heating Up The Competition

Men in love are very easily threatened by the presence of competition. They don’t like it when we flirt with other guys in front of them. It won’t make them jealous so much as hurt them and on guard for a fight. Instead of flirting with other guys, flirt with him and let him know he is the luckiest guy in the room because he has us.

Deeply Emotional

It might not look like it on the outside and he might never really show it but men are deeply emotional creatures. They feel the same emotions that we do; they just chose to not share them or they were never taught the words to express their emotions. The next generation of men will be better at that last one but they still might decide not to share the depth of how they really feel.

The Fun Is In The Hunt

Men are natural born hunters. Way back in the day they would set out in groups and hunt wild animals for dinner. Some guys still go out hunting to feed their families. Guys like to hunt and the thrill of the chase is the main attraction for them. They like a challenge. So when they are faced with an easy girl or a mature woman who won’t fall for their tricks very fast, they will go after the woman because she is more of a challenge for them.

A Brain On Love

When a man is in love, his brain chemistry literally changes. There have been studies conducted that led scientists to believe that men can still be wildly and madly in love decades down the road, with the happy reward portion of the brain being active the whole time.

Productivity Levels

A man in loveat least, in the early stagesis pretty useless for work. He is distracted, always thinking about his sweetheart and unconsciously enjoying the flood of dopamine in the brain. After the relationship settles down into a long term commitment, his work ethic picks back up. A man in a steady relationship will work harder, be happier in his job and earn more promotions and bonuses because he has unconditional love waiting for him at home.

The Little Things

He will pay attention to the little things like how we smell, the way we wear our hair, what color are eyes are and our favorite brand of chocolate in the early days of being in love. He will start to use the word “We” to describe the two of you rather than the term, “I,” signaling that you are a unit in his mind. And he will be more willing to compromise because he is happy, in love and wants us to be happy.