A relationship expert has uncovered the simple act of intimacy that could be the secret to a stronger, healthier bond.
And just in case you’re wondering, it’s not sex.
Busy schedules, social media distractions and the pressures of work and family life can make everyday intimacy difficult for couples. It鈥檚 easy for meaningful connection to slip down the priority list.
Many people assume that intimacy requires big, romantic gestures鈥攍avish dinners, surprise getaways, or expensive gifts. But according to experts, the kind of intimacy that truly strengthens a relationship is much simpler – just like J.Lo said, it doesn鈥檛 cost a thing.
Small, consistent moments of closeness are just as important. Mariah Freya, a sex education expert, wants couples to kiss more.
As it turns out Doja Cat and SZA were onto something when they made 鈥楰iss Me More鈥 as according to a Freya, couples really should kiss more especially if you feel like you鈥檙e losing the spark.
鈥淜issing is the most underrated relationship tool,鈥 she told MailOnline. 鈥淐ouples obsess over date nights, whether they’re having ‘enough’ sex, and communication techniques, but they’re sleeping on the one thing that actually predicts whether they’ll stay happy together.鈥
A 2019 study also explored the benefits of kissing, and it found that a kiss can release endorphins such as oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine which are often called the body鈥檚 鈥榝eel-good鈥 chemicals by helping to reduce stress and boost pleasure.
Meanwhile, a more recent study in 2022 found that more kissing led to a 鈥榞reater individual well-being鈥, which was then found in 鈥榯he most satisfying relationships鈥.
But it seems couples are not kissing each other enough, as a 2011 survey revealed that nearly one in five married couples go as long as a week without touching lips, and when they finally lock lips, it only lasts for up to five seconds.
One of the seven things to keep an eye on in a relationship according to a different relationship expert is a lack of affection and gratitude, including a lack of kissing.
According to relationship expert and psychotherapist Kathy McCoy, couples that get too comfortable can often stop the small gestures and habits that are significant for continuous bonding.
Things as simple as 鈥榟olding hands, hugging, cuddling or kissing, shared in-jokes, and finding joy in ordinary as well as extraordinary experiences’ can start to be forgotten in relationships, per her research paper.
And when it comes to a lack of gratitude, some couples may focus too heavily on the faults of their partner, be regularly critical of them, blame them, and remind them of their shortcomings.
McCoy reiterated that people in healthy relationships feel safe and at ease with their partner, and comfortable in the person鈥檚 overall positive and supportive view of them, despite their imperfections.
So go on, pucker up with your partner as a kiss a day could keep the disconnect away.