According to love biologist Dawn Maslar, the chemicals dopamine and vasopressin are vital for a man to start falling in love, whereas it's oxytocin and dopamine for women. Oxytocin, often nicknamed the love or cuddle hormone, also plays an important role in men but at a later stage.
You can assume a man is deeply in love with a woman once his initial attraction turns into attachment. Physical attraction, sexual compatibility, empathy, and emotional connection are key to making a man fall in love with a woman.
Researchers have scanned the brains of people who are madly in love and found a heavy surge of dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain's reward system that helps people feel pleasure. Dopamine, along with other chemicals, gives us that energy, focus, and obsession we feel when we're wild about someone.
For men, taking oxytocin before or during sex has been shown to increase overall sexual satisfaction in a number of different parameters. Studies report a major effect on increasing feelings of connection with a partner as well as enhancement of the sensation of orgasm.
Oxytocin - the "cuddle" hormone - is why women like to cuddle up after sex. Their oxytocin levels are much higher after sexual encounters, creating a feeling of closeness and comfort. Men also have oxytocin, but it is compensated for by higher levels of testosterone - so they are less prone to cuddling!
How Oxytocin Affects Men. Though the same things in both sexes can trigger oxytocin, it may affect males and females differently. For example, the hormone may heighten a man's sense of competitive relationships, though women might feel emotions related to caring and closeness.
At the point of orgasm, the brain releases massive amounts of oxytocin and dopamine, said Brotto. Oxytocin or the "love hormone" is thought to promote feelings of connection and bonding with a partner after orgasm, and dopamine is a "feel-good" neurotransmitter connected to the reward centre of the brain, she said.
Most of the studies found higher levels of oxytocin during the orgasm or ejaculation. Given the sexual arousal evoked by self-stimulation in which sexual fantasies play an important role, it should be possible to postulate for a role of the oxytocin in sexual desire.
While physical appearance plays a role, it is far from the only factor that makes someone attractive. How attractive a man finds you depends on your physical appearance, personality, proximity, and his assessment of his own attractiveness.
When in love, a man can feel many different ways. He may notice that his attention and goals start to shift. One such example would be that he's interested in you and building a relationship and not just thinking about his sex life. When he's falling in love, everything is likely to become about her.
According to James Bauer's book “His Secret Obsession,” a man has a deep secret urge that is more intense and powerful than hunger, and thirst. James refers to this strong biological desire as Hero Instinct. A man wants to feel irreplaceable during this drive.
In plain language: Men often feel most loved by the women in their lives when their partners hug them, kiss them, smile at them, and explicitly offer gratitude, praise, and words of affection. Men also feel loved and connected through sexuality, often to a greater degree than women do.
However, it's not all about looks and wealth. Research shows that humor and kindness are also characteristics which women find attractive in a man. Clear skin and masculine features are often cited as two physical characteristics which women find desirable in men.
The first thing anyone notices about another person is definitely their looks and their appearance. Even in matters of love, the basic thing that attracts a guy to a girl is their guise and the way they look.
Men have been shown to be particularly sensitive to physical contact, so touch likely boosted their oxytocin levels considerably, Melton says. “Justifying small ways to make any activity one where we're touching our partner, whether that's touching of the arm or around the shoulder, [could be useful],” Melton says.
Its best to begin with light small touches on the arms and hands, to make the oxytocin effect kick in.
Though it may feel like love strikes us in the heart, it is understood that the release of sex hormones estrogen and testosterone is what drives our lustfulness arousal (1). Testosterone plays a role in initiating sexual activities and pursuing sexual desire and behaviour in both men and women (2).
Dopamine dips from its orgasmic high and prolactin and androgen step in to produce feelings of satiety, pleasantness, and to make us want to take a break. At least for a while.
For many men, ejaculation is a sign of sexual pleasure and satisfaction. There is no definite age at which male ejaculation stops, but it has been suggested that it may occur when a man reaches his late 40s or early 50s. There are steps you can take to prevent premature ejaculation.
He suggests his affection through his demeanor
He tends to lean toward you when he is emotionally attached to you. It means that he confides in you whenever he has any trouble and needs to vent. Usually, men open up about what they are going through only to someone they feel attached to.
He does and says all the right things and is very conscientious about how he looks, acts, and shows up. He wants everything to be perfect because he knows you deserve everything to be just right. While he might fail miserable, his heart is in the right place and it says a lot about how he feels about you.
He'll Touch You Back
He might not touch back, but if he does, you've definitely got the green light. Men who are attracted to you might even engage in more touch. If a man actively tries to touch you during your interaction, it may mean he wants to get closer to you or close the distance between you two.
Many men value intimacy in their relationships and marriage as much as they value their lives. Intimacy to a man is fully knowing your partner's likes, dislikes, weaknesses, and strengths and being intentional in considering these as you relate.