How Couple Recreational Activities May Bring You Closer To Your Partner

A study suggests that doing recreational activities as a couple may actually bring partners closer to each other and reignite romance. Couples indulging in activities like playing board games or attending art classes, demonstrated oxytocin response twice the level than other groups, says a recently published Bayler study. For those who do not know, oxytocin is a hormone which plays a crucial role in social bonding, sexual reproduction, childbirth and lactation. It is also important for bonding among pairs of sexual partners. Thus, this is a hormone we associate with love, affection and the whole idea of romance and that warm fuzzy feeling which accompanies it.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Activities like playing board games or attending art classes, demonstrated the release of oxytocin among couples.
• The results of this study say so much about how couples should actually be spending time.
• After a point, we begin seeing relationships as a burden or a duty we must perform out of obligation.
• But what we end up doing is not only neglecting our partners but also putting a wall in between.

Oxytocin is a hormone which plays a crucial role in social bonding, sexual reproduction, childbirth and lactation.

The results of this study say so much about how couples should actually be spending time. In times when recreation means watching Netflix on our smartphones alone, couples are spending even the time meant to be spent together individually. The stress and exhaustion in our modern lifestyles have turned us averse to company. After a point, we begin seeing relationships as a burden or a duty we must perform out of obligation. The lesser time spent with your other half, the lesser the quarrels and thus more mental peace.

But what we end up doing is not only neglecting our partners but also putting a wall in between. No or little communication may come with individual mental peace, but it leads to alienation. We talk less, we share our laughs less and we also touch each other less. So what playing board games or attending art classes together does, is give us time to bond. The Baylor study revealed that men in the art class demonstrated oxytocin response twice the level than other groups. Couples in the art class reported more partner touching than couples playing board games. So, in conclusion, some types of activities may contribute to a higher release of oxytocin than others. Key factors may include touch, novelty and sex.

Interaction in the form of conversations or even arguments gives you an emotional release.

Which means that to feel loved or to feel love for someone, perhaps all the effort we need to make is touch them and talk to them. In short, we must make an effort to sustain a relationship and make it healthy and fulfilling. Interaction in the form of conversations or even arguments gives you an emotional release. Oxytocin, famously called the love hormone fills your body when you do something as mundane as hold hands, hug or touch. While this study exclusively observes the effects of playing board games or taking art classes together, couples can explore on their own what works for them and what doesn't. The important thing is showing an intent to make things better with your partner. On some days just showing that you want to interact or spend time with your loved one is enough to fill their heads with the soft hum of love.

Picture Credit: Andrik Langfield/Unsplash

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Yamini Pustake Bhalerao is a writer with the SheThePeople team, in the Opinions section.  The views expressed are the author’s own.