So now that you’ve won his/her heart and the heart palpitations, bouts of anger, nausea, sweating and insomnia have subsided, what happens next?

The two main hormonal players at this stage of the game are called oxytocin and vasopressin. They appear to be crucial for forming long-term partnerships. Couples who have been together for several years show increased brain activity associated with these chemicals when they look at a photo of their partner.

Oxytocin gets released when we kiss and touch. It’s responsible for helping us overcome “social fear” and is important for bonding.

Scientists can also vouch for the old saying “love is blind”. Apparently brain scans of people in love show the dopamine reward areas active and the regions linked with negative emotions and critical judgement switched off. Scary thought!