BBC Learning English.

Heartbreak has inspired thousands of songs, books, and films, and however much we try to avoid it, is something we are all likely to experience at some point in our lives.

But what exactly is heartbreak, and how does it affect us?

Heartbreak often occurs after a breakup, bereavement, or the loss of a family member or friend.

When this happens, we experience grief, which heartbreak is a form of.

And it doesn't just have emotional effects — it affects us physically too.

The word 'heartbreak' comes from the physical response to loss, described on BBC's The Why Factor as feeling like someone is 'physically squeezing the heart', though our hearts don't experience any real damage.

Psychologist Guy Winch told the BBC that, although we tend to feel pain viscerally, the pain of heartbreak actually comes from the brain, and is a by-product of love.

The emotional pain may be understandable, but why do we experience such physical pain?

According to Florence Williams, author of Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey, when you connect with someone on an intimate level, your bodies can actually sync up.