3 Days to a stronger relationship

Do you feel as if you're stuck in a relationship rut? However long you've been together, intimacy is key to relationship health.

- FAYE M SMITH

'So many couples are S too comfortable with the idea of removing intimacy from their lives,' says sex and relationship expert Jessica Leoni. They stop kissing each other goodbye, hardly say "I love you", and sit at opposite ends of the sofa when watching TV. They are just existing with each other rather than really being together, sharing each other's joy and pain.'

'Don't worry, getting back on track doesn't just mean having more sex 30% of people from a British study say they don't have time for that. 'Sex and intimacy are two very different things that are often confused,' says sex and relationship expert Annabelle Knight, who works with online store Lovehoney. 'Sex at its most basic level is a physical act, while intimacy can make you delve a lot deeper.

Intimacy is important for happiness. Every relationship needs a bit of TLC from time to time and doing an intimacy challenge could be a great way to do that.' Here's how to deepen your intimacy in just a month...

1 TYPES OF INTIMACY

You can experience intimacy in different ways. 'There are several types of intimacy,' says Annabelle. 'Combined together, they ensure that you and your partner have a strong foundation, and can help you to navigate relationship issues more easily. These include:

EMOTIONAL INTIMACY: You feel safe with your partner, and may share secrets and desires.

EXPERIMENTAL INTIMACY: You bond through experiencing a shared activity.

INTELLECTUAL INTIMACY: You feel on an even keel intellectually, and are mentally stimulated by that person's company.

SEXUAL INTIMACY: You're close to someone physically, welcoming intimate touching and sex.

2 HOW TO DO IT