My latest pet peeve: “It makes my heart happy.” Or “My heart is so happy.”
Folks, hearts are muscles.
(nice presentation on the cardiovascular system that entirely fails to mention happiness) They don’t have anything in them that can approximate happiness. If you really can’t stand to say “It makes me happy” or “I am so happy” (because why on earth save characters?? the real mystery is why we are adding “heart” to the equation in the age of twitter and texts) … If “it makes me happy” is just too few words, then please consider the more physically appropriate phrase “It makes my brain happy.” Because if happiness has a physical location in your body, it’s going to be your brain.
Dopamine (and dopamine receptors) are located in the brain. Oxytocin and serotonin (and no you don’t want a lot of serotonin spontaneously occurring) are located… wait for it.. in the brain. Endorphins are also inhabitants of the central nervous system.
I am pretty sure the heart is not located in the brain (although sometimes it seems to be located in interesting places). The heart has none of those interesting chemicals that are associated with feelings of pleasure and reward.
And any thinking that leads to happiness or is caused by happiness happens in the brain too.
Why do we call it heartache?
So. Why does it feel like your heart is the location of happiness and sadness? Why do we call it heartache and not brainache? Because your heart-rate responds to stress (eustress and distress), and you can feel it. You cannot feel the firing of neurotransmitters; you cannot take their pulse (I had a friend who, years ago when we were young, would take his pulse after an argument with his girlfriend. It was weird.)
Not only may your heartbeat change in response to emotions, but you may feel shortness or breath and muscle tightness… altogether an apparent hole may open up in your chest. Your digestive may slow; you may feel sick or nauseous. Your heart may ache. but your heart is not sad!! It’s not happy!! it’s just a muscle.
Of course, if you insist on talking about your heart being happy… well you’re in good company. this happy heart fad may be new, but hearts have been known to want to sing