5 reasons date nights are a MUST

Date nights delivered. But why?

Here at Love Drop HQ, we’re passionate about the modern phenomena of ‘date nights.’ Everyone seems to be doing it. Even loved-up celebrity couple John Legend and Chrissy Teigen are wading in on the action. Chrissy recently posted an Instagram of her and her beloved in Italy with the caption ‘To the opera!’

Now, not everyone can afford to whisk the other-half off to the home of pasta and watch Aida for the evening. But that doesn’t seem to stop the rest of us mere mortals enjoying some ‘together time’.

There over 11 million uses of #datenight on Instagram alone, which got us thinking; why are date nights so important anyway?

In a study by The National Marriage Project called ‘The Date Night Opportunity’ we begin to understand that date nights are more than just an excuse to dress up, be child-free and brag about it on Facebook.

Here are the 5 key ways the study suggests date nights are a must:

1. One of the crucial ingredients to a successful relationship is an open channel of communication.By removing distractions such as children and employment responsibilities, date nights may afford couples the opportunity to discuss things that are important to them—from their shared dreams for the future to the state of their family finances. As spouses and partners communicate more, they may deepen their understanding of one another and the relationship. This is important because individuals continue to change, and as they and their relationships develop, they experience new challenges and problems over time. Date nights may help partners and spouses to ‘stay current’ with each other’s lives and offer one another support for meeting these challenges.

2. Most couples experience a decline in relationship quality after a few years, partly because they become habituated to one another and are more likely to take one another, and their relationship, for granted. The initial excitement associated with getting to know a person, growing in intimacy, and trying new things as a couple can disappear as the two people settle into a routine. By contrast, a growing body of research suggests that couples who engage in novel activities that are fun, active or arousing enjoy higher levels of relationship quality. In other words, couples may be particularly likely to benefit from a regular date night if they use it as an opportunity to do more than that old standby: dinner and a movie. It is also important that they choose activities that represent a balance of each partner’s interests, rather than tending to do things (novel or not) that are desired more by the same partner each time.

3. Most contemporary relationships begin with an element of eros—that romantic love that is linked to passion, excitement, and an overwhelming sense of attraction to one’s beloved. But with time, the emotional and physical manifestations of erotic love tend to decline in most couples. Insofar as date nights allow couples to focus on their relationship, to share feelings, to engage in romantic activities with one another, and to try new things, date nights may strengthen or rekindle that romantic spark that can be helpful in sustaining the fires of love over the long haul. All of these things can foster higher levels of sexual satisfaction in their marriage or relationship.

4. Husbands and wives, as well as other romantic partners, are more likely to enjoy stable, high-quality relationships when they experience a strong sense of commitment to one another and to their relationship. Specifically, partners who put one another first, who steer clear of other romantic opportunities, and who cultivate a strong sense of “we-ness” or togetherness are markedly happier than less-committed couples. Date nights may solidify an expectation of commitment by allowing partners to signal to one another—as well as friends and family—that they take their relationship seriously.

5. De-stress. Stress is one of the biggest threats to a strong marriage or relationship. Stress related to work, finances, parenthood, or illness can prove corrosive to a relationship, insofar as it causes one or both partners to become irritable, withdrawn, violent, or otherwise difficult to live with.

We know it can be hard to find the time for romance; life gets in the way. So how can you make those date nights special and ensure they’re regular to keep that spark alive?

As the study suggests, date nights are an essential part of any strong relationship. So to help you along the way - we created LoveDrop! Date night delivered direct to your door!

Once you’ve had your first Love Drop delivery and had your date night - send us a picture that sums up your evening on Instagram @lovedropuk using #lovedrop #datenightsdelivered

Don’t forget to keep it clean you saucy bunch!

xxx