Alone time is great — not to mention important for your sanity — but there are some things couples should be doing together. These are the activities relationship experts say belong at the top of both of your To Do lists.
By now, you know a good sweat session is great for the bod and brain — research shows it can improve your mood, memory, and sleep, not to mention speed up your metabolism, lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol, and, of course, promote healthy weight management.
But working out with your partner has its own set of advantages. “Exercise stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, which elevates the heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration,” says Ayo Gathing, M.D., psychiatrist, relationship expert, and co-author of The Modern Trophy Wife. “This heightened physiologic state causes the body to be more aroused, and it helps you perceive your partner as more attractive.”In fact, a recent Brooks Running survey found that 54 percent of runners feel more turned on after pounding the pavement with their boo. So go on, get yourself — and your partner — a new pair of sneakers already.
1. You do laundry checks.
You sniff each other’s underwear and it’s not a $e-x thing; it’s a cleanliness thing. You know your partner’s smells so well that putting your nose to the armpit of their favorite hoodie and taking a big whiff (or a light sniff) is not really that gross. (Except for the few times when it’s very, very gross; like, “how does a human even make this smell?!” gross.)
