All individuals long for different things in close relationships and partnerships. And this is where the five love languages show up. You can use this knowledge to gain insight into what is important to you and your partner.
As you may already know, the five love languages: words of affirmation, quality time together, physical touch, acts of service, and gifts.
If we look at it from a national perspective, we can see that the UK is a country with happy relationships in general. In fact, a whopping 85% of people are happy with their current relationship. Moreover, we are even good at expressing it openly to our partners.
But which love language do we use the most?
We all express love differently
A whole 55% of Brits in a relationship tell their partner "I love you" every day. But besides those three little words, there are also other ways we express our love.
According to Sindex, there’s a broad consensus among Brits about which three love languages matter the most to us.
Physical touch, words of affirmation, and quality time are indeed the most cherished expressions of love.
Physical touch is a very explicit way of expressing our love. A warm hug, a tender kiss, or a loving touch on the arm can speak volumes. It's as if our bodies speak a special love language that brings us closer together.
Words of affirmation covers a wide range of expressions. While it may seem obvious to think that it involves a constant flow of sweet words, declarations of love, and endless praise of one's personality, it can also include far less elaborate words that carry equally important messages. Some of them may become clearer as you get to know your partner better.
Quality time is about being present and truly listening to each other. Creating time to be together, free from distractions, and enjoying each other's company is like building bridges between each other and creating precious memories.
So, while a bouquet of flowers or a small favor can be a nice gesture, it is not the direct path to the hearts of Brits.
Touch me
According to Sindex, physical touch is the love language that most of us adore in the UK.
In fact, 95% of us believe that intimacy is crucial for a well-functioning relationship. In fact, we consider it so important that it negatively affects us if there is a long time between intimate moments with our partner.
Intimacy is about creating a deep and meaningful connection. The physical expressions of love throughout a busy daily life are clear signs that we still belong to each other.
Lack of intimacy and physical contact can have a negative impact, especially if there is a long time between intimate moments with our partner. It can lead to feelings of distance, loneliness, or frustration. Therefore, it is important to prioritise intimacy in a relationship and find ways to maintain some form of physical contact.
When we talk about physical touch as a love language, it encompasses a wide range of nuances and variations. It includes gestures such as caresses, kisses, hugs, sexual intimacy, massages, holding hands, and physical closeness.
It's important to remember that different people have different preferences, even within the same love language. Open communication and respecting each other's desires and boundaries are crucial to creating a satisfying and fulfilling experience of physical closeness in a relationship.
Psst! Do you need a fun, different and loving way to start the conversation? We’ve created Let’s Talk About Sex – The Game, a card game containing 52 questions about intimacy and sex.
About the study: Sindex by Sinful
Sindex by Sinful is based on an international survey conducted by Cint on behalf of Sinful, as well as on sales data from Sinful. The population survey was conducted in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, France and the United Kingdom with 2,000 respondents from each country.
The data was collected from 17 May to 8 June, 2022.
Read more at Sindex by Sinful, where we will reveal new, exciting results from the survey every three months (until 2023).