Three simple exercises couples in a romance rut can try at home to reconnect

A good indication that you’ve stopped communicating is how often you really look at your partner. If you’re beginning to realise it’s been months, maybe longer, since you’ve really looked at your partner, put a timer on for two minutes and, for those two minutes, just look at your partner

Carmel Wynne: 'Put a timer on for two minutes, and for that two minutes, just look at your partner. Usually even couples who are fighting will often just hug after that without saying anything, because that rekindles the intimacy.'

Celebrating Valentine’s Day can be wonderful in the early stages of a relationship, when sparks fly and you can’t get enough of each other. Then life happens, and work, kids, and bills take over. Before you know it, you and your partner are more like housemates than lovers. For couples who have found themselves in a bit of a romance rut, buying flowers and chocolates can become just another job on the to-do list.

If this sounds familiar, a new book called Get Real, by sex and relationship expert Carmel Wynne, might be the perfect Valentine’s gift for your other half. This no-nonsense guide promises to cut through the typical, fluffy relationship advice and tackle what’s really going on when partners drift apart.