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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Madeleine Aggeler

I asked my husband for five minutes of uninterrupted eye contact. It was harder than expected

Arthur C Brooks
Graphic illustration of an eye doubling as a sun over perhaps an ocean, with the iris transformed into a blinking heart.
‘Eye contact activates the brain’s social and emotional circuitry almost immediately,’ says Dr Susan J O’Grady, clinical psychologist and relationship therapist. Photograph: Rita Liu/The Guardian

In January, business professor and happiness researcher Arthur C Brooks appeared on the Modern Wisdom podcast to offer advice on optimizing morning and evening routines. His tips seemed reasonable – think exercising early and no alcohol before bed. Then, for couples, he made a kookier suggestion: every night before going to sleep, spend five minutes holding hands and staring into each other’s eyes.

“This is the best thing ever,” he enthuses, explaining that it can help with mood management and to strengthen your relationship.

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