Have you seen our latest Instagram series on our top stress management tips for the holiday season? Now, more than ever, it’s important to prioritize intimacy with your partner during a season when we do so much for others outside of our relationship.  This month, Donna wanted to put together some of her top tips to help us prioritize ourselves and our relationships. 

  1. Take some lovely downtime for yourself and spend some downtime together with your partner. Research shows that downtime is important for our health.  It increases productivity, renews attention, strengthens memories and inspires creativity. 
  2. Take many pleasurable opportunities with your significant other to break out of your routine and create that wonderful dopamine rush, doing things together at holiday time which, in and of itself, will make the experience unique and unusual.  
  3. Sexual health is part of overall, optimal health. Create regularly scheduled, recurring dates for feel-good skin-to-skin contact and experience the pleasure of intimacy with each other for a boost in the bonding hormone, oxytocin.  Engage in spontaneous quickies, too, for more of that delicious dopamine rush!

In search of other ways to spend time together? Try the following! 

  • Take a walk or a drive together to see the local holiday lights on the houses and in your parks.
  • Enjoy a long walk or drive by the seaside or your favorite outdoor spot. Roll those windows down and turn up your favorite music!
  • Prepare special meals together. It’s OK if you can’t get to your favorite foreign vacation spot right now. You have the opportunity to bring the restaurant experience to you by making recipes from those exotic lands.
  • Make a new habit of relaxed or invigorating walks together, even in the colder weather. You’ll find warmth by layering up, holding hands and spending quality time together.
  • Take lots of time now, in 2020, and beyond, to use your imagination and create your next fun getaway for when it’s safe to travel again. 
  • Spend time together with family and friends that may be outside of your bubble via online virtual visits!
  • Try generously engaging in a favorite activity of your partner’s with them.  Even if it’s not your “thing,” give it a whirl!  You never know… you might be surprised and discover something you hadn’t anticipated.
  • Pull out your matching comfy holiday PJ’s to lounge around in, with each other, for ultimate comfort!
  • Get dressed up for each other, even if it’s just to have a glass of wine at home, to add a bit of novelty.  Seeing our partners dressed up a bit can be a real turn on.
  • Change sexual positions and/or the location of your lovemaking for something different and a delicious dopamine spike!

For a sensual holiday season, here are some of our favorites …

Smitten Kitten for new and reasonably priced sex toys for 100% safely made products!

Uberlube for your starter supply (or restock) of the most moisturizing safe and effective lubricant. 

OMGyes for more information on the Science of Women’s Sexual Pleasure. Remember, you can never learn too much in this department! 

As always, don’t forget to consider giving yourself the gift of therapy. Therapy is open to all people, from every background, with the goal of helping our clients live their most authentic and satisfying lives. Reach out today to get started, or check out our podcast, Sex and Couples Therapy with the Happy Ending Therapist wherever you listen to podcasts!