HEALTH + WELLNESS
The Secrets to a
HAPPY RELATIONSHIP
LET ’ S FACE IT , THE HARDEST PART OF BEING IN A RELATIONSHIP IS BEING IN A RELATIONSHIP … THERE ’ S NO INSTRUCTION MANUAL ON HOW TO GET IT RIGHT ; SHARING YOUR SPACE AND TIME WITH ONE PERSON DOESN ’ T COME WITH A RULE BOOK ; AND THE NOTION OF USING YOUR PARENTS ’ RELATIONSHIP AS A ROLE MODEL IS OUTDATED BECAUSE THE WORLD TODAY IS A FAR MORE PROGRESSIVE PLACE . OTHER IDEAS THAT WE SUBCONSCIOUSLY ABSORB FROM POP CULTURE , LIKE OTT GRAND GESTURES , A STAR-CROSSED EX-LOVER CRASHING YOUR WEDDING TO WIN YOU BACK , OR THE CLASSIC FREE SPIRIT THAT TWIRLS INTO YOUR LIFE AND FREES YOU FROM AN INTROVERTED EXISTENCE , ARE PRETTY TOXIC AND CAN LEAD TO PEOPLE PUTTING UP WITH UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY THINK ‘ THAT ’ S JUST HOW RELATIONSHIPS ARE ’.
There is nothing wrong with swooning over an elderly couple still holding hands however , or looking up to a couple that radiate fun when they ’ re together ; love is a beautiful thing and there really is someone for everyone , so when you find that person , or if you already have and are determined to keep the spark alive , how do you nurture that love through the years ? We ’ ve uncovered some simple secrets that will help you keep your relationship happy and healthy .
Go to bed together
This doesn ' t mean having sex every single night ( unless you want to , of course !), but rather going to bed at the same time . Happy couples generally resist the temptation to go to bed at different times even if one gets back up shortly after their partner has fallen asleep . Pillow talk and a bedtime cuddle works wonders for maintaining intimacy and connection .
Prioritise sex
One of the main issues in long-term relationships is that things can start to feel samey ; when the honeymoon period settles down and you find a shared routine , passion can naturally start to ebb too . The problem is that novelty takes effort in a relationship because you get to a stage where you know each other so well that it ’ s comfortable . There ’ s nothing wrong with comfortable but is a good idea to step out of your comfort zone from time to time . While we ’ re not suggesting you start swinging from the chandeliers – unless that ’ s your thing – trying to shake things up with spontaneity or exploring new things in the bedroom are both sure-fire ways to reignite the spark .
Take risks together
Falling into a rut when every day is fundamentally the same and one week starts to blend seamlessly into the next can make your relationship feel stale , so forcing yourselves out of that rut by trying new , exciting things together encourages you to adapt to being a little riskier . Try things together that neither of you have ever tried before , which could be something as simple as a rough-and-ready camping trip in a destination neither of you have visited , or as adventurous as planning a trip across Southeast Asia . The point is to do things that are out of the
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