The proverb “love heals all wounds” may have some new scientific support.

Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder and Israel’s University of Haifa say they have found evidence that when one romantic partner holds hands with a partner in pain, the couple’s breathing, heart rate, and brainwaves will synchronize and will help the afflicted partner’s pain to lessen.

The study also suggests that the more empathy a partner has for their significant other, in pain, the more their brainwaves will sync, allowing more of the pain to ease.

The study’s lead author, Pavel Goldstein of the University of Colorado, Boulder says he got the idea to look into this concept after he discovered holding his wife’s hand as she delivered a baby eased her pain.

The team’s findings were outlined in a new study published in a recent edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.