Fun Ways to De-stress with Your Partner
by Delilah Moore
Raise your hand if life seems busier than it’s ever been. Your days are packed with work, friends, kids, meetings, parties and more. It may seem impossible to carve out time to de-stress, but here are some tried and true ways that you’ll love.
The best part is, these ways all allow you to de-stress with your partner. Not only will these make you feel better and more resilient to life’s stressors, but they’ll also strengthen your relationship and love for one another immensely. Check out these simple methods to destress and live your life to the fullest with one another. Even if you’ve done these things together before or you do them together regularly, renew them now with the specific intention of deepening your bond - and have fun with it!
Work Out Together
The couple who works out together stays together! Think about it, it’s only natural for someone who takes good care of themself to want their partner to join them in making healthy decisions. At the core level, you’re building a healthy routine that can serve as a foundation for your lives both as a couple and as individuals. Plus, as most of us know, sticking to a workout isn’t always the easiest when you can simply hit the snooze button, but with your partner’s encouragement you’ll push through the discomfort, and set goals that you’ll be able to attain together. If you’re just beginning your fitness journey, start simply with an early trip to the gym before work for some gentle cardio. Remember, exercise releases those feel-good endorphins, setting your day up for success and some fun wind down time when you get home to your partner!
Be Playful
Throughout the day — whether it’s a gentle pillow fight in the morning before you steal a kiss and run in the shower, or tossing your sweetie an orange before they run out the door when they’re running late to their early-morning meeting — do things that’ll make them smile. Remember to always keep that childlike enthusiasm and adoration for one another. Send that flirty text. You’ve heard it a million times: Keep dating your partner to keep the spark alive. Do it! It works!
Play Games Together
This is good for the mind, soul and relationship. It may sound silly to you at first if it’s not your thing, but you’ll be surprised at how soon your competitive side comes out. Have a blast and lots of laughs with your partner. It’s fun to do something new together, and the endorphins will help ease some of those stress levels from earlier in the day. It can be anything from a fun card game to learning a more advanced skill like chess together!
Read in Bed Together
Pick a book you’re both interested in or a totally new topic you want to learn about, and take turns reading passages to one another. The trick here is to not fall asleep if your partner has a super soothing voice. Cuddle up, discuss what interests you and expand your minds and your relationship to a new level. You’ll see how much you love this part of your evening routine. It’s also a great way to wind down without TV, computers and phones.
The Power of Physical Touch
For a healthy relationship, physical touch is incredibly important. Hug, kiss, hold hands and truly be present with one another. This is one of the absolute best ways to destress together. Step it up by adding massage to the mix. Just think how amazing it would feel: You get home after a long day and you’re sitting on the sofa with your partner, recapping what happened at the office. As they listen, they gently begin giving you a foot rub. You may forget what you were even talking about. Return the favor in the evening by rubbing their shoulders before bed for a relaxing and loving moment. Always keep a bottle of your favorite massage oil in case it turns into a longer session.
De-stressing to connect with your partner is fun
Work together to connect on all levels. It will not only benefit your relationship but also your health and happiness. With a few (or even all) of these tips, there won’t be anything you can’t handle together. Those stressors of life will still be there, but they’ll be much easier to deal with when you’re stronger together. Start your routine and see what a difference it makes in your relationship, overall mood and outlook on life.
Delilah Moore is an author and former manager for one of the top dating sites in the U.S. With a degree in Journalism and Literary Studies, she has her pulse on what’s going on in the world and also follows her creative passions!
