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7 Reasons Why Holidays are Good For Your Relationship (and it's probably not what you think!)

Sun-drenched week-long vacations, winter weekend getaways, honeymoons, babymoons, mini-moons, city breaks and rural retreats... The tradition of 'getting away from it all' and heading on holiday, leaving behind the stresses and strains of day-to-day living and spending some quality time together as a couple may have been around for many moons, but we now have even more reason to embrace escapism.

Recent studies have shown that the couples who travel together are much more likely to stay together than couples who don't; not only do holidays together give you a relaxing retreat, they also bring you closer together as a couple (and we're always excited to hear of ways to justify planning our next jaunt!). Here are a few reasons why travelling and holidaying together is so good for your relationship - and they may not be what you think...

1. Disconnecting = Reconnecting

The Internet may be a wonderful way to connect with people online, but when was the last time you completely disconnected? Our phones have become our lives, and even when we don't think we're using them, we're subconsciously on a state of 'High Alert' in case we hear that 'ping', signifying a new text, email, What's App message, Tweet, Facebook notification, phone call, Instagram update... the list is endless, just like the constant stream of the internet. Disconnecting gives you the space to reconnect with yourselves and each other. 

2. Sleeping in a New Bed

Studies have shown that changing your bedtime surroundings can do wonders for your quality of sleep, and one of the reasons for this is association. Even if your bedroom is a haven of peace and tranquillity, there is still an element of association to nights that you've lay there running through To Do lists in your head, with the same picture on the wall, crack on the ceiling, or bedside alarm clock you've looked at on sleepless nights. Being in new surroundings removes you from any associations you may have that take you away from what should be your only thought – drifting off into a deep and peaceful slumber...

3. Relaxation: Ditching the Guilt and Getting Permission

Guilt is one of our biggest obstacles when it comes to the art of relaxing – and it is an art. Too often we think that by stopping still we will automatically relax, but we can't switch our brains off for the guilt that we should be doing something 'more productive'. We feel like we have to earn the right to relax, considering it an indulgence, rather than rest being a necessary part of a healthy, happy (and productive) life. Feel refreshed after a holiday? It's not just the sea air, the sunny climate and the lazy days – it's the fact that you didn't feel guilty about doing it. Holidays give you permission to do relax, and relaxing together is part of the foundations for a strong relationship.

4. Relying on Each Other & Communication & Learning

Whilst we rely on each other for our emotional needs, once our routines are fairly established in day to day life, we don't need to rely on each other so much for the practical elements of living, and sharing the unknown together is part of the bonding experience. When you're on holiday, you usually find yourselves in a new place, doing new things and following a new schedule – from transport/airport logistics and the flight itself, to language barriers, reading maps, translating menus, hiring cars, finding your way around a new town and seeing the sights... You have to help each other and rely on each other, which deepens your bond and connection as a couple.

5. Being Playful Together

The responsibilities of adulthood deprioritise 'playing', which we often think of as exclusive to childhood and something 'silly' or 'frivolous', but shirking off the responsibilities of adulthood, albeit temporarily, and having nothing to do but enjoy yourselves as best friends, is essential for a successful relationship. From the giddy Christmas Eve-esque excitement of waiting for your flight at the airport, to messing about in the swimming pool, doing watersports or adventure activities, or drinking too many cocktails and laughing and kissing like teenagers - playing is a bonding experience that we shouldn't forget or undervalue in adulthood, which brings you closer together.

6. Sharing Moments & Creating Memories

The romance of climbing a mountain together and admiring the breathtakingly beautiful view, bathing at the bottom of a magnificent waterfall in an exotic wilderness, watching the sun go down on the horizon over on a white sandy beach with the waves lapping gently at the shore... Yes, they might sound like romantic clichés, and we passionately believe that romance is found in The Little Things too, like that morning cup of tea together... but part of the romance of these holiday experiences lies not in the dramatic landscape, but in the fact that you are sharing a moment together and making memories that you will both cherish, and this deepens your bond as a couple.

7. Asking Questions = Valuing Your Partner

New experiences open up opportunities to learn about yourself and your partner. Remember at the beginning of your relationship, when you would spend hours on end talking about everything under the sun, wanting to know every single thing about your partner? Travelling and holidays take us out of our routine, our comfort zone and familiarity; an enriching experience for both yourself and your relationship. Asking your partner what they think of that painting in the gallery that you've stumbled upon, the culture you're living in compared to back home, or even the new dish they've ordered on the menu – it shows you're still interested in learning about each other, that you are growing together, and that you'd do it all over again in a heartbeat.