Physical Intimacy: How to Increase Physical Intimacy

Physical intimacy is a form of connection shown through physical contact. For romantic partners, physical intimacy might include kissing and holding hands in public and sexual intimacy in the bedroom. This type of intimacy can also occur between people in familial and plutonic relationships. Hugging, snuggling, and sitting next to another person are ways to practice physical intimacy. Along with physical contact, intellectual intimacy and emotional intimacy are all critical in establishing long-lasting, close relationships.

Physical intimacy involves building closeness through physical contact. People can show physical intimacy to loved ones beyond romantic partners. Being intimate might involve hugging good friends, sitting near one another during a movie, or even cuddling when napping.

Sexual desire is a form of physical intimacy involving closeness and vulnerability between romantic or sexual partners. Sometimes, couples experience sexual desire that can blossom into physical intimacy or vice versa. Physical intimacy can mean sexual activity, but intimacy is richer than sex alone. Generally speaking, your libido can fade over time, but physical intimacy can be more permanent, and partners can practice it with less effort. Hand-holding, tickling, and cuddling are all simple ways to practice this kind of intimacy.

Being intimate can lead to several physical and mental health benefits:

• Physical intimacy boosts endorphins. Physical contact with a romantic partner releases feel-good hormones and endorphins that raise your spirits. Tickling can stimulate laughter and feelings of happiness.
• Physical intimacy builds trust. Communicating with a partner about how they like to behave in public and at home can help you better understand their preferences, and acting on them can satisfy your partner and build trust over time.
• Physical intimacy reduces stress. Sleeping next to another person can cause deeper breathing and greater relaxation. Sex, in particular, decreases cortisol levels and reduces stress.
• Physical intimacy supports emotional closeness. Physical contact can be a stepping stone for couples striving to get closer to one another.

New partners and married couples benefit from physical affection. Consider the following ways to foster physical intimacy with your partner:

1. 1. Have deep conversations. Emotional vulnerability leads to physical touch. Engaging in emotional conversations with your partner can invite physicality and bring you closer. Emotional closeness is foundational for healthy relationships.
2. 2. Experiment with forms of touch. You may cuddle while napping, tickle while playing at home, hold hands while out on a date, kiss hello and goodbye, and even maintain intense eye contact while speaking to one another. Talk to your partner about their preferences and how they like to show and receive affection.
3. 3. Separate physical intimacy from your sex life. Not all physical affection has to act as sexual foreplay. You can also change your patterns of behaviors that lead to sex.
4. 4. Spend quality time together. Focus on affectionate touches, and carve out time to spend with your partner for date nights out or quiet nights at home.

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