For many – though not all – long-term relationships can mean a dwindling in the expression of physical affection.

As daily life gets in the way, quality time spent with a partner can go down – so what can be done to keep the spark alive in a long-term relationship?

Author and midlife coach Alanna Kirk told The Hard Shoulder that it’s very easy for those in long-term relationships to become complacent and forget their future goals.

“If you were in a business relationship you would constantly have reviews, you’d constantly see what’s working, what’s not,” she said.

“It’s really easy for a relationship to become transactional instead of tactile.

“I just was having a conversation with a client this morning and it was, you know, what can you do to get out of the routine?

“Do something different that’s an activity, that’s just the two of you, that maybe gets you both out of your comfort zone so that you associate being together with something exciting."

Young lovers sitting on beach, rear view.

Writer and playwright Amanda Brunker agreed, and said there needs to be an effort from both people in a relationship to put in extra effort from time-to-time.

“This morning I left a note for my husband; I made him a lunch last night and I left a little note on it saying, ‘My number one man, made with love’,” she said.

“We don’t always like each other, I’m not going to pretend that we do, but I do think that HRT has definitely helped our relationship in recent years.

“When your libido’s on the floor and everything else, I mean, men and women can take hormones, it definitely does help.”

Main image: Couple in bed, Alamy