Cuddling with your partner can likely make your relationship stronger. Whether you are face to face or if you are spooning, touching your partner while you sleep is the key factor in this theory. Studies have proven it to be true and, in almost every instance, couples who report frequent cuddling and physical touch are happy together, compared to about 68% of couples who report not cuddling or spooning with their partner. With this being the case, spooning may make your relationship stronger.
The Basics
First, let’s address the basics. So what is spooning exactly? Spooning is when you lie on your side, and your partner lies on their side and curls up behind you or in front of you. Whichever side your partner chooses to lay on, the two of you will be seamlessly curled up together, as if you were two spoons placed together.
3 Ways Spooning Can Improve Your Relationship
1. It triggers feelings of bonding and arousal.
Skin is our biggest organ, and most of us crave skin-to-skin touches. It releases oxytocin, which is a hormone and neurotransmitter that triggers these feelings. With spooning, a large amount of the skin is pressed up against your partner’s skin. Not only will those feelings be exhibited, but your breathing will likely also sync with your partner’s, furthering that close feeling. Additionally, spooning can help you relax with your partner by lowering your blood pressure.
2. It shows your partner that you care deeply about them.
Spooning for only five minutes has proven to create a stronger sense of emotional connection between a couple. This can help you show your partner that you care deeply and intimately about them without actually having sex.
3. It allows you and your partner to feel supported.
By being pressed up against your partner’s back, they will feel supported by you. Basically, this position can help bring a sense of security to the relationship by allowing your partner or yourself, depending on who is the little spoon, to feel as if the other has their back at all times.
The Right Time to Spoon
Although anytime is okay for spooning, right after sex is the best time. After sex, you and your partner are likely already feeling emotionally connected. Spooning allows those feelings to continue, while also deepening the bond.
Challenges Involved With Spooning and How to Accommodate
Some of the challenges involved with spooning include:
- Cause you to both get overheated
- Numbness or tingling from lying in one position for too long
- Numbness or tingling from the weight of your partner
- Awkward positioning of arms
Luckily, there are ways to overcome those challenges. In order to overcome them you can try these ideas:
- Experiment to find the most comfortable position for you
- Try to tuck your elbow in and then lay on your hand
- Use support from a pillow under your arm or in between your knees
- Rest your arm in front of you or wrap it around your partner’s arm
Who Goes on Which Side?
This is commonly referred to as the “big spoon” and “little spoon”. The little spoon is the person who has their back to their partner. Then, of course, the big spoon is the person with their back facing out.
It does not matter who goes on which side. This is all dependent on personal preference. Sometimes you can even switch back and forth, with one person being the big spoon one day, and then the next day that person is the little spoon.
Final Thoughts on Ways Spooning Can Improve Your Relationship
Cuddling with your partner can significantly improve your relationship, and spooning is one of the best methods for a couple. It triggers feelings of bonding and arousal, shows your partner how deeply you care for them, and creates supportive feelings within the relationship. While there is no wrong time to spoon, just after sex is the best time, and it also doesn’t matter who is on which side.
