health and a diminished
quality of life, so longevity
and overall happiness are
additional reasons for
keeping romance alive with
the right partner.
From a biological
standpoint, human beings are
not built for long-term
romance, according to
Billingham, whose research
interests include interpersonal
relationships, parent/child
interactions and the longterm effect of divorce on
children.
Finding time for romance is
crucial to a marriage or
committed long-term
relationship, and it shouldn't
be limited to anniversaries,
Valentine's Day or other
special occasions.
Biologically, the body
chemistry that makes our
hearts flutter during a new
relationship is replaced after
several years with body
chemistry geared more
toward attachment, he says.
Date Your Spouse or
Partner
Find ways to spend time
together and enjoy each
other.
Couples, therefore, need to
work at keeping romance
alive in long-term
relationships.
"Individuals change. The
relationship changes,"
Billingham says. "This core
behavior (regular dating,
emphasizing the relationship)
says, 'No matter what
happens, we find time for
ourselves, find time to
celebrate the relationship.’"
Make Time for
Romance…It’s Good for
Your Health
Billingham says research
indicates that people who
divorce experience poorer
69