16 Ways to Make Your Partnership Last: Tips for Re-evaluating Married Life

Recently, a TV program introduced "16 Ways to Last Long with Your Partner."

The content was incredibly deep for anyone living a married life.

Whether you are currently struggling with your relationship or living in a happy marriage, this content should serve as a "lifelong bible."

As for me, I am in my 13th year of marriage and 14th year of being sexless.

We are a rare couple where the period of being sexless is longer than the marriage itself.

Even I, who has a cold relationship with my husband due to this sexless life, found myself nodding vigorously at the broadcast.

It was that captivating.

(Reference: Broadcast on December 17, 2025, Fuji TV's "Honma Dekka!? TV")

16 Ways to Last Long with Your Partner That All Couples Should Know

Here are the 16 methods for making a partnership last as introduced in the program.

1. Abandon the spoiled attitude of "Understand even if I don't say it"

Expecting a partner to "sense this much because we've been together so long" is apparently impossible from a brain science perspective.

Humans are creatures whose perceptions differ based on experience; a picture of a "dog" seen by one person might look like something else to another.

Similarly, even in a marriage, different people perceive the same thing differently.

Therefore, even things that seem obvious to you may not be understood by your partner unless you say them.

In short, it is important to put things into words before getting frustrated that they didn't "sense" it.

2. Do not establish strict rules within the household

If you over-define rules like chore distribution, you end up only seeing your own territory.

Furthermore, if one partner unilaterally decides the rules, they start looking for flaws in the other or pointing out mistakes, thinking, "I would do it this way."

As a result, household rules end up binding both yourself and your partner.

It is said that not having strict rules leads to a more harmonious marriage.

In particular, if the wife leads the rules, the home can become an "uncomfortable place" for the husband, so be careful.

3. The moment "rules are necessary," a gap has already occurred

Following point #2, a situation where you must bind each other with rules is evidence that a gap has already formed in your thinking.

Rather than making rules, it is important for the couple to first discuss that fundamental "gap."

4. If you make rules, maintain "looseness"

If you must set household rules, they should be "loose" enough that you can forgive the other person if they aren't followed.

If rules are too rigid, the partner may perceive a broken rule as "not caring about the family."

This results in worsening the relationship.

5. Women's love hormones increase when called by their first name

There are research results showing that simply having a husband call his wife by her first name increases her love hormones and decreases stress hormones.

The longer you are together, the more embarrassing it might feel to use first names, but calling each other by name helps stabilize the wife's emotions.

6. Calling each other "Papa/Mama" kills the spark

Many couples call each other "Papa" and "Mama."

However, this is evidence that you recognize the partner as "family" rather than as a member of the "opposite sex."

Therefore, if you want to maintain romantic excitement, it is recommended to call each other by name except when in front of the children.

7. Never fail to put "gratitude" into words

The more stable a relationship becomes, the less people say "thank you."

This is because people start to feel the partner's actions are "natural."

"Thank you for making dinner," "Thank you for marrying me."

Expressing these small words of gratitude reaffirms the love in the marriage.

It is especially important for long-term couples to verbalize their gratitude.

8. Couples who share humor have higher relationship satisfaction

The longer you are together, the less you naturally joke around.

However, couples who frequently exchange humor tend to maintain higher relationship satisfaction.

But note that self-satisfying humor or humor used just to fix a mood can be counterproductive.

It is important to create an atmosphere where both can laugh together.

9. Have your own "inside jokes" or "slang"

It is said that when humans use words (slang) that only make sense within a specific group, they feel "this person is an ally."

This is the same for couples; having slang or jokes that only the two of you understand increases psychological safety.

As a result, the sense of trust and the bond with the partner deepens.

10. The most serious trouble between couples is the room temperature issue

There is a difference of more than 1°C in the comfortable temperature for men and women.

Therefore, it is almost inevitable for couples to argue over the air conditioner setting.

For a harmonious marriage, it is important to find ways to avoid this conflict.

For example, if sharing a bedroom, simply separating the beds with a curtain when sleeping can allow for temperature adjustment.

Efforts to reach a "room temperature where neither feels stressed" are vital.

11. Happy couples have good pheromone compatibility

Pheromones are signaling substances that instinctively trigger physiological reactions.

Pheromones are invisible, tasteless, and odorless, making them hard to detect, but they are important factors that act directly on the brain.

If this pheromone compatibility is good, the marriage is said to last longer. (Continued in #12 below)

12. Love-at-first-sight couples tend to last longer

Love at first sight is a state of "instantly sensing the other person's sex pheromones."

Men and women who connect through intuition and pheromones, thinking "This is the one!", can be said to have a strong biological bond.

13. Make it a habit to memo your partner's good points

If you develop a habit of noting your partner's strengths, your brain will automatically start looking for "good things."

Conversely, if you only write down complaints, you will naturally only notice their flaws.

If you want to maintain a good relationship, it is important to make a habit of taking notes on their good points or things they said that made you happy.

14. It is important to share stress and overcome it together

Couples who have survived stressful environments together tend to last longer.

Using comedians as an example, it is said that they succeed more when they marry the woman who supported them during their unsuccessful years rather than someone they met after becoming famous.

People who have spent difficult times together develop a relationship like "comrades-in-arms," leading to the feeling of "I want to stay with this person for life."

If you feel stressed by work or childcare, it is important to share that with your partner and make an effort to overcome it together.

15. Having a pet at home makes arguments settle more easily

There is data showing that having a pet—a "thing to protect"—at home causes arguments to end faster and suppresses the rise in blood pressure.

[Arguments between men and women with/without pets]

● Couples without pets: Arguments last over 10 minutes, blood pressure increases by 20+

● Couples with pets: Arguments settle within 5 minutes, blood pressure increases by about 10

Unlike children who grow up and become independent, pets always need care.

Therefore, for a long time, a pet acts as a cushion for the couple, making it easier to maintain a good relationship.

16. To prevent "silver divorce," husbands should actively participate in chores and childcare

When a husband reaches retirement age, he spends more time at home.

Inevitably, the husband starts expecting the wife to do the work of a "housekeeper."

"Doing chores and taking care of the husband all day long."

Many women feel despair at this lifestyle and decide on a silver divorce.

To prevent this, husbands must actively cooperate in chores and childcare from their working years to build an equal relationship.

Also, active participation by the husband increases communication between the couple.

A Happy Marriage is an Accumulation of "Conscious Effort"

The 16 methods introduced on Honma Dekka TV might not all be things you can do immediately.

However, the difference between knowing and not knowing will likely change the couple's relationship significantly in a few years.

If you aim for a harmonious marriage, please try referring to even just a few of these 16 items.

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