The romantic woo: the flowers, the dinner, the compliments. Maybe you hold the door open. Maybe you have perfected some Casanova moves in the boudoir that makes your lover swoon. But if you really want to leave a lasting impression, the most important thing may be what you do immediately after sex.
We’re not saying you’re the kind of cad who loves and runs. You just might have been better trained in foreplay than the after play. And science is telling us the denouement and subsequent cool-down matter.
That’s according to a pair of studies in the Archives of Sexual Behavior journal. Academics from two universities near Toronto queried more than 450 adults about their post-love-making actions and general relationship happiness. They found that the “duration of post sex affection was associated with higher sexual satisfaction and, in turn, higher relationship satisfaction — suggest that “the period after sex is a critical time for promoting satisfaction in intimate bonds.”
Not all couples view cuddling equally — stereotypes say women want it, and men don’t. But stereotypes are meant to be broken. And sometime it’s the men who want the snuggles. Whatever your inclination, the truth seems to be that taking a few extra minutes to bask in each other’s glow will do wonders for your relationship.
This worked over the course of three months of lovemaking — no word on if it matters after years of marriage, but at least, it still matters after the first blush. So if nothing else, she’ll be more likely to think fondly of your romantic time together if you take some time afterward for a little more togetherness. And she’s sure to make the rest of us say, “I’ll have what she’s having.”
