- Increase physical touch in your relationship through changes to the daily routine, special dates, shared meals, and showing affection.
- Take regular breaks from everyday life by taking a memorable trip with your partner for novel experiences and meaningful conversations.
- Seek professional counseling to work on intimacy issues and strengthen the relationship.
- Making an effort to keep the spark alive in the marriage is essential for maintaining intimacy between partners.
Married couples often hit a wall regarding intimacy primarily because of the lack of effort and physical connection over time. According to a survey by the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, 43% of married couples reported decreased sexual satisfaction within the first five years of marriage. This decline in sexual pleasure is likely caused by two primary factors: a decrease in physical touch and a lack of effort in maintaining the connection between partners.
Physical touch is essential to any relationship, but more so for married couples no longer in the courtship phase. An impossible-to-ignore sign that physical touch is lacking in a marriage can be seen through statistics from The National Survey of Families and Households. The report found that individuals with higher marital happiness levels engaged in more elevated physical affection than those with lower levels. Unfortunately, this study found that 80% of married couples experienced general declines in their frequency and quality of physical love after being married for seven or more years.
If you feel your marriage lacks physical touch, it’s time to take action. Here are a few tips to help you and your partner spice up your relationship:
Make Changes to Your Daily Routine
Changing your daily routine is a great way for married couples to stay connected and foster intimacy. Even small changes can have a significant impact on the overall health of the relationship. Here are a few steps to consider.
Go on Dates Regularly
Regularly devoting time to each other with special dates allows you and your partner to reconnect and enjoy things like trying new restaurants, going to movies, or exploring cultural events together. Carving out time solely dedicated to each other helps couples find common interests and grow closer together.
Share Meals
Eating together has been linked to increased marital satisfaction among couples. Taking the time during meal times for meaningful conversations about current events, family history, or chitchat prevents those moments from becoming mundane daily tasks; instead, they become opportunities for connection and bonding between spouses.
Show Intimacy
Showing positive and intimate acts like hugging and kissing each other in the morning can also make a massive difference in the strength of the relationship. You can do it while leaving for work or snuggling on the couch watching your favorite show. It doesn’t matter where it happens — what matters is that physical touch between partners is being maintained.
Make Each Other Priorities
Lastly, married couples should make each other a priority and prioritize time to connect. This connection could be through physical touch, conversation, or simply being in the same room while you read your books or watch different shows. No matter how you decide to spend it, making time for each other is essential for any marriage.
By making adjustments like these in your daily routine, married couples can benefit from increased levels of physical touch, emotional connection, and marital satisfaction over time as they strive towards maintaining a healthy relationship.
Going on a Special Trip
Going on a memorable trip or vacation with your partner is a fantastic way to maintain intimacy. Taking a break from everyday life and exploring new places together allows you and your partner to deepen your connection, have fun, and create unforgettable memories.
One way vacations help foster closeness is by introducing novel experiences. Trying new activities, eating different dishes, going on a hike – all these opportunities allow couples to reconnect while creating conversations and moments they may not have otherwise encountered. Vacations can be essential for married couples experiencing boredom in their relationship because they can reignite their spark through new experiences and exciting moments together.
In addition to providing novel experiences, vacations also provide time for couples to engage in meaningful conversations about themselves, their lives, and the relationship’s future. Extended conversations like these allow partners to discuss deep topics that can get neglected daily. These intimate conversations help build trust between each other as well as increase understanding of each other’s perspectives on different issues.
Seek Professional Counseling
Marriage therapy can be an excellent way for couples to work on intimacy issues and strengthen their relationship. Marriage therapists specialize in helping teams understand and resolve conflict, build trust, increase communication and connection, and explore fundamental differences between them.
When looking for the best marriage therapist to help with intimacy issues, finding one appropriately qualified to provide the best advice is essential. A good marriage therapist should have experience working with couples dealing with similar problems as yours, be well-versed in various therapeutic techniques, and be able to provide tailored strategies that fit your particular situation. It is also essential to consider the therapist’s personality traits—such as being approachable and open-minded—to ensure they can help you both feel comfortable discussing sensitive topics.
Final Thoughts
Although sustaining physical touch and maintaining connection is challenging, keeping the spark alive in a marriage is essential. With effort and dedication from both partners, married couples can bridge the gap between them and prevent their relationship from becoming stale. By following these tips and seeking professional help if needed, you may be surprised how quickly your marriage can become more passionate than ever before!
