Psychologists have revealed a surprising way to spice up your love life, and it only takes a couple of weeks a year.
According to national surveys, as many as 1 in 7 married adults in the U.S. has little to no sex. While sex is by no means the only marker of a healthy relationship, physical intimacy is associated with greater emotional attachment and overall mood, as well as improved heart health and reduced stress.
So what can you do to bring the spark back into the bedroom? According to new research, it may be as simple as going on vacation.
In a study published in the journal Annals of Tourism Research Empirical Insights, Arizona State University researchers investigated the associations between self-expanding vacation experiences and passion, physical intimacy and relationship satisfaction.
The study consisted of two parts. In the first, 238 partners were asked a series of questions about their most recent vacations, including whether they had traveled with their significant other and whether their vacation had included “self-expanding experiences.” By this, the researchers were referring to experiences that are novel, interesting, exciting or challenging. This could include things like seeing a new place, trying new food, hiking a difficult trail or learning a new sport.
“These experiences don’t need to be wildly adventurous if extreme activities aren’t your thing,” the study’s lead author, John Coffey, a professor of psychology at Arizona State University, said in a statement. “Activities as simple as trying a challenging hike or a new local cuisine together are enough.”
The participants were then asked to assess their romantic passion and relationship satisfaction.
In the second part of the study, 204 couples were surveyed about their vacationing habits and their overall relationship satisfaction.
Through these studies, the team found that partners who vacationed together at least twice a year, and had more self-expanding experiences while they were traveling, were more likely to report higher levels of relationship satisfaction and intimacy, which lasted even after returning home.
“An experiential holiday with your partner may improve your love life even after the vacation is over,” Coffey said. “Our research found this held true no matter the length of a couple’s relationship, so whether you’ve been together one year or 30 years, traveling together and trying new things is one good way to maintain intimacy and passion.”
The study authors wrote: “While we might expect couples with higher relationship quality to be more likely to vacation together, we should also recognize that couples with lower satisfaction might miss chances to improve their relationship quality by vacationing less or independently.” (Newsweek)
