How does it feel to fall in love? If you are wondering if you've reached this stage, learn five foolproof signs that you (or someone else) is falling in love.

Your body releases chemicals.

Let’s start with the scientific signs. Your body responds to the prospect of love by releasing a cocktail of chemicals. Your adrenal glands secrete adrenaline in response to your excitement about your special person and the prospect of a relationship with them. This chemical helps you to overcome feelings of caution and fear that may accompany opening your heart to someone new. It’s the reason you feel butterflies in your stomach and your heart beats fast around your sweetheart. Dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin are called “feel-good hormones” because they trigger an intense feeling of pleasure when they are released, reportedly as addictive to your brain as cocaine. That’s why you seek out interactions again and again with your partner trying to get your next hit of happiness. You may have more energy and less need for sleep or food. Vasopressin is a bonding chemical. It helps you to want to stay with one specific individual because you feel a strong emotional attachment to him or her.

You think of the future.

According to a famous poem, there are three types of friends: friends for a reason, friends for a season, and friends for a lifetime. If someone is your life to serve a certain purpose, such as an exercise partner or a member of a club you frequent, they are friends for a reason. Friends who stay for a period of your life, but eventually fade out of it, are friends for a season. When you think about a romantic partner when you make long-term plans and decisions, chances are you are falling in love with your friend for a lifetime

You don’t need much.

Imagine your love interest calls you and invites you to spend the day helping pack up his house to move or assist babysitting a young relative. Though it doesn’t seem like the day will be action-packed or filled with enriching cultural experience, you are thrilled. If you are content just to be around your special friend, you are probably falling for him or her. Otherwise, you will probably find a better way to spend your Saturday!

You feel their pain.

Feelings of empathy increase with feelings of love because you really care what happens to your partner. When they have troubles, you feel bad and you do what you can to alleviate their stress. If they have successes in life, you celebrate and feel joyful too. Love goes beyond mirroring emotions. Falling in love means you are happiest when your partner is happy, so you go out of your way to do things to please him or her. You might do a small act, like bringing home flowers, or a grand gesture, such as driving seven hours in the rain to visit a long-distance lover.

You invest.

One of the biggest indicators of strong emotion in a relationship is investment. You are willing to spend your time, energy, and resources on the person you care about, even if that means you will have to sacrifice something you want.

Is your body awash in good feelings? Do you empathize with your partner and consider how your decisions will affect him or her? Are you willing to invest your time and energy on making your mate happy? If you answered yes to these questions, there’s a strong possibility that you are falling in love with someone! Now, the next question is, is your partner falling for you too?