Welcome, surfing singles of the world! Our comprehensive
online dating sites guide offers the leading singles websites for those
interested in casual dating, romance, sexual encounters, long term
relationships, possible marraige partners, or perhaps just some friendly
singles chat. We also feature many 100% free dating sites that offer totally
free contact personals. And, as a bonus, we also have started our own completely
free of charge personal ads as our way of thanking you for visiting! We
only represent the leading established dating sites with proven reputations and
millions of singles. All sites we feature offer various free membership options
as explained below. So have a look around, and enjoy our relationship articles
about love on the Internet!
The Chemistry of
Love: It's why your
knees go weak, your palms sweat, your stomach does
flip-flops and you begin to stammer when you fall in
love.
by Jen Muehlbauer
When sparks fly between two people, we're quick to say
they have "chemistry." Not everyone realizes
that such couples literally have do have
chemistry--it's what's behind those sweaty palms, the
jumpy stomach, thumping heart, and nervous jitters.
Chemistry also contributes to that warm, comfortable
feeling you get from being with a longtime partner.
In the mid-1960's, psychologist Dorothy Tennov
surveyed 400 people about what it's like to be in
love. Many of her respondents talked about fear,
shaking, flushing, weakness, and stammering. Indeed,
when human beings are attracted to one another, it
sets off quite a chain reaction in the body and brain.
But there's a perfectly logical explanation to those
intense feelings.
The most well-known love-related chemical is
phenylethylamine -- or "PEA" -- a naturally
occurring trace ammine in the brain. PEA is a natural
amphetamine, like the drug, and can cause similar
stimulation. This natural upper contributes to that
kick-up-your-heels, on-top-of-the-world feeling that
attraction can bring, and gives you the energy to stay
up all night talking to a new love. Sometimes this
energy translates into the triple-espresso jitters;
other times it simply keeps you wide-eyed and alert
long past the time when you'd usually be yawning.
"I always get excited about somebody who can keep
me up late at night," says Elan Freydenson of New
Jersey. "I really value my sleep."
Feeling Dopey
You can also get a non-romantic dose of PEA from
high-intensity activities like skydiving, or by eating
chocolate. According to Chocolate.org, chocolate
contains small amounts of our love drug, PEA. That
might be why some people use chocolate as
"comfort food," getting the same warm,
relaxed feeling from chocolate as others do from Mom's
chicken soup.
One of the substances released by PEA is the
neurochemical dopamine. A recent study done at Emory
University shows that female voles (small rodents)
choose their mates in response to dopamine being
released in their brains. When injected with dopamine
in a male vole's presence, the female will pick him
out of a crowd later. Our love food, chocolate, also
elevates levels of dopamine in the brain.
In turn, Dopamine stimulates the production of
oxytocin, sometimes known as "the cuddle
chemical." Oxytocin is best known for its role in
mothering, stimulating contractions during labor and
aiding with breast feeding. According to
BirthPsychology.com scientists now think that both
genders release this nurturing hormone when touching
and cuddling, with the oxytocin level peaking during
orgasm.
Another euphoria-inducing chemical in your brain,
norepinephrine, stimulates the production of
adrenaline and makes your blood pressure soar when
near the person you're attracted to. That's why you
might experience a pounding heart or sweaty palms when
you see someone you've got the hots for.
What The Brain Tells the Body
How do our emotions get translated into physical
sensations? A U.S. News and World Report article
explains the importance of the vagus, a nerve that
threads through your whole body. It transports signals
from your brain to your organs, "setting the
heart pounding, making the stomach do flip-flops, and
of course, lighting the loins on fire." Everyone
knows that jumpy, sort of sick feeling in your
stomach. Some people call it a "hollow"
feeling, while Elan Freydenson describes it this way:
"That weird feeling falls somewhere between my
belly button and my heart. It feels like tension
building, yet it feels great and I want to have that
feeling more often."
Tennov's group also reported "intrusive
thinking," where it seems like your brain is
fixated on the object of your affection. When your
heart rules your head, there's actually one part of
your brain running the other: the cortex is the area
of your brain that controls logical thinking, while
emotions are processed by the limbic system. When too
many happy chemicals like PEA and dopamine flood your
brain, they head straight for the limbic system.
When The Honeymoon's Over
Some scientists believe that after a certain period,
from 18 months to 4 years, one's body gets used to
these love stimulants. After building up a tolerance
to uppers like PEA, passionate romances can cool into
what Helen Fisher, author of "Anatomy of
Love" calls "attachment." In this phase
of the relationship, your brain produces endorphins,
brain opiates more like morphine than speed.
"Unlike PEA," says Fisher, "they calm
the mind, kill pain, and reduce anxiety." So what
some people call "separation anxiety" might
actually be a form of drug withdrawal.
The idea that the "honeymoon period" of a
relationship is fueled by different brain chemistry
than what is present during the mellower years that
come later might explain why some people can't seem to
hold long-term relationships: they prefer the
revving-up affects of brain amphetamines to the
pain-killing effects of endorphins.
"Divorce rates peak around the fourth year of
marriage," says Charles Panati in his book
"Sexy Origins and Intimate Things."
"The initial 'highs' of love have lost their
chemical underpinnings Marilyn Monroe's classic film
"The Seven Year Itch" should be retitled
'The Four Year Itch."
Lynn Harris, co-creator of BreakupGirl.com wonders if
it's the other way around. "Relationships take
work. They just do. And people get lazy after a
while," she says. "So do they get lazy
because they're getting immune to the chemicals, or do
they get lazy because they just do...which triggers a
decline in the chemicals?"
In the end, even hard-core scientists agree that
chemistry isn't everything. Culture, circumstances,
personality, and scores of other variables help decide
who turns your head and who leaves you cold. So don't
try to reproduce that lovin' feeling in a basement
chemistry lab--but do try your best to enjoy the
natural highs that life gives you.
Love and Relationships - Online Dating - Sex and Romance
Anyone who's ever had a brush with the thing called love knows that this
feeling so desired is also tough to pin down. There are so many kinds. We've
got lusty love, companionate love, fraternal love, the kind of love you have
for your grandparents, thrilling love, young love, self love, and love mixed in
with a lot of pain-and many more. How can we survive a relationship with all
these different forms of love floating around? If you can't survive the change,
you'd better learn, since relationships are filled with love that's
ever-changing.
Love's Frontier
You start out a relationship with tons of passionate love, with lots of lust
mixed in. New love feels like you're climbing a mountain-thrilling, with lots
of new territory to explore with every step. As the relationship endures (if
you're lucky enough to have it endure) you'll begin to grow to know each other
more deeply. Then love deepens, too, broadening into a 'best-friend' and
companion-style love. No doubt the lusty, new love is still there, but starts
to get filled out by these other feelings.
It's when love starts to change form that some people can't cope; they sense
the shift as a loss of passion. They sense a reduction in passion, which to
them means that something's wrong with the relationship. But it doesn't have to
be that way.
When you feel yourself moving over into the companionate sort of love, just
relax. It's not easy, but try to let the relationship exist at its level. It
takes some getting used to but as you may soon find you enjoy it, too. This
phase I have affectionately termed The Plains of Kansas. On the Plains, you are
definitely no longer in the mountains of love/lust, with all that unexplored,
exciting territory, where each step takes you around a new corner, over a new
rock. But The Plains of Kansas have their own charms and benefits-you'll just
have to look a litter harder for what's interesting there, see a little
farther. You're in a place that seems to go on forever, with no apparent
markers or change in landscape. But if you pay attention to the details, you'll
find plenty to keep you interested.
Dizzying Love
Of course, the thrill of falling in love has its ups and downs two. As love
swells up then changes in a relationship, so does your sanity level-or so it
seems. On the first date, maybe you feel some of your senses slipping away,
"melting into her eyes." After a month you may think, "I don't
feel right when we're apart." But you never had that problem before. And
of course, it doesn't feel like too serious a problem to have. It is part of
the thrill of love.
Let's face it. Partners complicate our lives. First, we're driven nearly crazy
with the heady rush to love. Our friends will wonder what's happened to us.
Then, after a few more dates, a few more weeks, both men and women wonder
neurotically, often desperately:"What if she doesn't like me as much as I
like her?"... "Am I being used?"... "Is he going to pull
away just when I'm falling in love?"... "How much will a breakup hurt
me?" Not pleasant thoughts. But we've all experienced them at least
momentarily as we embark down the road to coupledom.
Love can get even more complicated the longer you're in it. For instance,
lovers tend to know more than anyone about our weaknesses and our strengths,
our dreams and our worries. We allow them in and give them Knowledge. It takes
a while-at least a few months-for this Knowledge to build up. But it will.
Be happy that Knowledge can be used for good, to build us up and make us feel
stronger, more secure, and happier. But partners also use Knowledge against us,
leaving us feeling vulnerable, sometimes abused. Being prepared for just how
many "buttons" are going to get pushed is important to keeping the
relationship going strong even during tough times. And all this happens because
of love.
So take love, in all its forms, and embrace it. At least try. Don't get scared
when you first start to realize that "some of the passion is gone,"
after the first month, or after the first year. Right around the corner is
another kind of love that brings its own rewards.
Dating-Services-Matchmaking-Sites.com offers a wide array of
methodized dating services that makes Internet dating simplistic and non
eventful. All sites have various free membership programs, and do not charge to
join. Keep in mind this can mean limited membership functions that are always
subject to change so be sure to read each dating site TOS (terms of service
agreement) when placing your free profiles. All listed dating website
descriptions were accurate when placed within our directory. (See below for "FREE
definitions.)
Catering to all types of whims and fancies, We realize that
today's online singles require dating services that define a myriad of
personal tastes in seeking the perfect match partner. In order to quench
various appetites, we've categorized the top dating services specifically
designed for targeted singles groups. For you men and women seeking alternative
dating including swingers dating services, couples seeking singles, single
ladies seeking couples, single guys seeking threesomes, and/or semi nude
picture personal profiles should check out our adult
dating services where sexy singles come to chat, exchange photos, and
other exciting adventures. For our older, mature singles for single in their
age group, we recommend our single seniors online
directory. Links to the top senior dating sites and many sites that offer 100%
free senior personals. For our single Gay men and Lesbian - bisexual
ladies community, we've compiled an in depth Gay dating
sites page for the leading Gay singles service catering to Gay singles,
and completely free Gay picture personals. Over 40 million combined
profiles found on our dating network can be searched or browsed for free.
There's no cost to join and place your own photo profile. Singles seeking
specific ethnic backgrounds or geographical locations would enjoy our
international singles services links. For standard dating sites online,
our Webs best dating sites directory
features the largest and most popular dating services on the Internet. Most
dating sites have 1 million to 8 million registered profiles. Last but not
least is our totally free
personals dating services
which has links to sites that never charge singles to connect, as well as a
portal to our own free personal ads database.
Dating Services Review For a quick glance comparison of the
top matchmaking services and dating sites, try the new
dating sites personals review for a handy personals sites quick
reference guide. Own a dating related site?
Submit Here
Free Dating Sites versus Totally Free
Dating Sites
Defining "FREE" Dating Services - I'm a firm believer in
online personal ads, and found my true love via Internet dating sites, but
remember the confusion and frustration of clicking on sites claiming Totally
Free Personals only to find out that wasn't the case. For the most
part, the majority of sites claim Free Personals when marketing
which can also be misconstrued as meaning that all site features are free. To
make it clear, let's define the industry standards of the word "Free" being
used.
Free Dating Service - Typically
means that it's free to join, place personal profiles, and free to search the
ads. However, different sites require various paid upgrades to use advanced
site features such as chatrooms and sending messages.
Free Dating Service Trials -
Usually means that singles can join the site with no restrictions using all
site functions for a predetermined amount of time. Your profile can remain in
the database, but your downgraded to basic memberships after the trial.
Totally Free Dating Services -
"Should" mean that all site features are available to all singles with no
restrictions, no registration, (to grab that email), and no limits on sending
messages. All of our listed totally free personals
sites meet this definition.
Recommended Dating Sites - Well, for maximum results, we
suggest you place a free profile on ALL the high end dating sites that
fit your criteria. ALL dating sites we promote are considered high end,
best of the best and you should consider downloading the
Roboform automated form filler. It's totally free to download, and
makes Internet life so much easier. You can cusomize it for online dating site
use. Just fill in the information once, then go to all the dating sites, and
use roboform to fill out the questionnaires. It also remembers your passwords,
so upon returning, it logs you in with a click, instead of having to manually
type your login and password. I did it, and saved tons of time. Think "Quantity
and Quality" . The more sites you register with and place free
personals profile ads, the more exposure you'll get. Power in numbers, Mi'
amigos!
Totally Free Personals - No Charge to Send
Messages
Dating-Services-Matchmaking-Sites.com offers these free
personals as a way to thank our surfers for using our site for all love and
romance related products and services. To be effective, be sure to place your
ad in the correct catagory on the drop down menu. Also, these ads will be
placed in a search engine that spiders in 15 other free dating sites, so it's
imperative that you put your city and state of residence in the Subject field
so other singles can find you when searching for specific regions. There is NO
membership required to search, place, and contact singles in the database.
Enjoy!
Spam Dating Sites - This is a common term for dating sites
that try and sucker singles to click thier links with the following claims; totally
free personals, 100% free personal ads, completely
free dating site, absolutely free dating services ---
or various combinations thereof. When you click the link, however, all you find
is affiliate links to PAY sites. You'll also most likely encounter tons
of abnoxious blinking banners, and those annoying, intrusive pop up ads or
sneaky pop under pages. Some now have browser hijack software, and porn dialers
that automatically load onto your computer without your knowledge. I personally
hate pop ups, so you'll never find any pop up pages or ads within our networks,
and we never use tracking software or any cookies on your computer. We respect
your privacy
, always.
