This article printed in The New York Times (by Tara Parker-Pope) in February 2008 titled Reinventing Date Night for Long-Married Couples
"The goal is to find ways to keep injecting novelty into the relationship. The theory is based on brain science. New experiences activate the brain’s reward system, flooding it with dopamine and norepinephrine. These are the same brain circuits that are ignited in early romantic love, a time of exhilaration and obsessive thoughts about a new partner. Scientists believe regular injections of novelty and excitement most likely play a role."
This article 'Date night' can improve marriage, sexual satisfaction (by Sharon Jayson) was printed in USA Today in February 2012.
"A report about [date nights] suggests that couples who devote time to each other at least once a week are more likely to have higher levels of communication, sexual satisfaction and commitment than couples who don't have this kind of alone time.
[It was] found that wives who spend couple time with their husbands at least once a week are 3.5 times more likely to enjoy above-average levels of sexual satisfaction, compared with wives who have less than once a week couple time. Husbands report similar results."
This article, Date Nights: They Make Your Marriage Work (by Tammy Nelson Ph D.) was reported in the Huffington Post in February 2012.
"My number one suggestion for a date night, and something I suggest for all couples, is to have a Sex Date once a week. A regular Sex Date creates a sacred time that you both carve out of your schedule to meet once a week and make it special.
There are low energy dates and high energy dates. One idea for a date is to decide beforehand; which kind of date do we want tonight? This is important to meet both of your expectations. If you are looking forward to going out dancing and your partner is thinking about a candlelight dinner, one of you will be sure to feel disappointed."
Do you and your spouse have a go-to date idea?
Are you weekly daters or 'when it happens' daters?
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4 comments:
We are serial daters. We're old and lazy, we like to go to the movies. Usually we get dinner first or sometimes (often) smuggle it in. There's something really fun about eating an awesome burger next to the guy eating stale, over-priced popcorn.
We have discovered the website Gofobo.com where you can register for free tickets for first run movies. Yes, it really is completely free. Distribution companies will preview a movie before it's official release so that they can create a "buzz" about it. Hopefully this will increase both awareness and initial weekend ticket sales. So you get an email from Gofobo and if it's a movie you want to see, you respond with the confirmation code to print out two completely free passes, sometimes as much as two weeks in advance for a single showing at a specific local theater. You have to go early and wait in line for good seats because they want a full theater and send out more tickets than the theater can hold. We use that hour for conversations, people watching, and socializing with other people in line. We're seeing "Jack the Giant Slayer" this Saturday. It doesn't officially open until March 1st. Most often the previews happen on a Tuesday night and it's fun to be out during the week. A little naughty.
Great post, and awesome comment from Jules as well! :) Thanks so much to you both! I especially love the first idea. My husband and I have been married 24 years, and I think it is true that newness is exciting (something young couples get without trying - since everything in a new relationship is new); older couples need to create some newness and excitement in their relationship. Have an awesome day ladies!
Corine :D
I'm on the Gofobo site and its been really fun to see movies before they come out. It's tricky sometimes because the theaters sometimes aren't that close to our house so we have to figure out how to wait in line to pick up tickets a couple hours early then go back later for the movie. It is fun though when it works out!
My husband and I are weekly daters and it usually is just dinner and an event on our Pass of All Passes or renting Redbox movie or watching one at home. Sometimes we'll go to the movie theater/dollar theater. I need to be better about planning some different dates though..I know PInterest has tons of ideas. But yea! Unless I'm out of town or something we always have date night on Friday
I've discovered that one of the biggest hamperings to our lack of date night is that neither of us wants to find the babysitter. something about making 3 phone calls every week to find an available sitter just isn't fun.
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