6 Ways to Spice Up Your Relationship During Covid | Sex Toys

Let’s face it: Vaccines and variants aside, we’re entering year two of the global pandemic right now, and that doesn’t exactly mean that relationships are exciting for most of us. Maybe you were already cohabitating with your partner pre-Covid (BC) and are struggling to keep from getting sucked into the routine; or maybe you met post-Covid (AC), and while your moods are still hot and cold, there are so many fun things a couple can do without staying home, right?

No matter how long you’ve been with your partner and whether you live together or not, keeping the thrill alive is an important part of any romance.

Sex, sex, sex. I said it bluntly. Even though some of us are spending more time at home with our partners these days, the extra time stress, anxiety and depression What many are experiencing amidst ongoing quarantines, lockdowns, and even curfews isn’t exactly conducive to life-changing sex. Are you surprised? Kinsey Institute study At Indiana University, 43% of participants reported a decline in the quality of their sex life since the start of Covid. study Studies of women’s sexual behavior during the pandemic have shown that while frequency and desire have increased, quality has significantly decreased. But while binge-watching Netflix may seem like a more desirable activity than starting to deal with it, there are things you can do without putting pressure or strain on your relationship.

Consider these 6 ways to spice up your relationship during Covid:

1. Plan action-packed date nights

There may be no shortage of time spent together (if you live together, you may be driving each other crazy in a cabin fever kind of way), but the quality Time is everything. Even if you have dinner together every night, even if you are tired of cooking, lacking inspiration and have only worn sweatpants since you can’t remember when, even if your date night is in the same apartment where you have lived and worked for over a year…Be creative. In other words, get dressed, lay down a tablecloth, light some candles, eat something different, have a glass of champagne. It’s about isolating yourselves from routines and rituals and focusing on what excites you about each other. And if you’re currently experiencing the challenge of a long-distance relationship, do all of the above via FaceTime, do it. Open yourself up to the magic, and who knows what will happen?

2. Do you love yourself?

We all need time to ourselves, to do those necessary things that make us feel like ourselves and that make us feel like we can bring new energy to a relationship. Whether it’s taking a walk alone with our headphones in, plucking our eyebrows and painting our nails, or indulging in an extravagant meal every now and then, it’s all important. Because the more we stay in touch with ourselves, the more we bring to the common table that is a relationship. Maybe you want to masturbate more often, but you don’t feel like there’s much room for it lately. If your partner is around, you can invite them to watch or, if the mood strikes, join in. They might be up for it.

3. Touch with intention

Sitting on the couch with a good movie or cuddling before falling asleep can reduce stress and increase the release of happy hormones like oxytocin. Additionally, holding your partner’s hand can Reduce your threat response—something most of us could really use these days. If you and your partner don’t tend to be very physical outside of sex, it can be harder to bridge the intimacy gaps when times get tough. But if you can find a way to be intentional about loving, sensual touch, chances are those sparks will fly more easily when you’re ready to fall into each other.

4. Practice conscious pleasure

Research shows that the practice mindfulness can “significantly improve sexual desire and other indices of sexual response” in womenand constitutes a “potentially promising treatment avenue” for men with situational erectile dysfunction. Mindfulness can also reduce stress, which is perhaps the biggest libido killer for all genders, by increasing our sense of acceptance and presence in the moment. One way to cultivate mindful pleasure in your daily life is to take up meditation, using pleasure as a focus: relax your body and focus on the most pleasurable sensations in your body for 10 to 15 minutes each day. And more generally, you can try taking a break and savoring everyday pleasures like a good cup of coffee or the sun on your face.

5. Communicate

To kick your sex life into high gear, you need to cultivate your communication skills. This comes easier for some of us than others, because we didn’t all grow up with the best role models. And even among those of us who have strong communication skills, talking honestly about sex isn’t always easy. But the reality is that when we’re able to communicate openly (and kindly) about what turns us on, And what is not, the possibilities of pleasure begin to expand. Try to set up a date to talk about sex and start chatting things that work for you before graduating things you want to exploreYou see what I mean?

6. Dreaming about the future together

There are some very real things about the times we’re living in that are a bit overwhelming, to be sure. There’s no denying that sometimes it’s easier to get sucked into a nostalgic spiral of the good times before the pandemic than it is to live your life as it is. But here’s the thing: Looking ahead with your partner can be a very fruitful, uplifting (and even exciting) way to get out of the mud and plan for a better future. Whether it’s saving up for a hobby farm, moving to a desert island, or starting a business together, taking concrete steps to envision and plan for the life you want can offset some of the uncertainty and disillusionment you’re feeling right now. Life is short, sure, but it’s also long. It all depends on how you look at it.

Bottom line: Never forget that these are unprecedented times! Many of us are facing a lot of challenges on a daily basis. It’s completely normal to feel exhausted and would rather scroll through Facebook than improve your sex life. Rather than exhausting yourself further by trying to revamp your sex life overnight, focus on small, achievable actions. They will eventually pay off. <3