Vacation Sex: 3 Reasons To Plan A Romantic Getaway

In our always available, never disconnected, 24/7 world, many people don't take advantage of the time they are given for vacation. But a recent study released by Expedia.com suggests we might want to.

The study, reported by Travel Daily News, shows a correlation between vacations and a better love life. Expedia found that of those couples who went on a romantic getaway together in a given year, 88 percent said they were at least somewhat more likely to be intimate. The couples who took at least three vacations together in a year were even more likely to engage in intimate behavior.

Let's be honest, most people believe there is at least some connection between sex and marriage—though it's not always a good connection. Sex is so important to a marriage that many marriage therapists and coaches suggest scheduling sex so it doesn't fall by the wayside in our ever-so-busy lives. Couples often meet this suggestion with resistance because it's "not romantic" or it "feels forced." This is where the joy of vacation sex comes in. Vacation sex is fun, spontaneous, connecting, and (did I mention?) fun. Here's why:

1. You can get away from the daily grind. We all live our lives with some degree of routine. We wake up, get dressed, get the children to school, work, run errands, help with homework, check email, work out, fix dinner, wind down with Facebook or television, and then go to bed. Repeat. On the weekends, you might sleep in, go to your kid's soccer game, mow the lawn, do the laundry and other household chores, run more errands, catch up on work, and get ready for the next week. If you and your partner are really focused on your relationship, you might squeeze in a date night, and possibly squeeze in that scheduled sexual encounter, if it's not too late and you're both not too tired.

But when you're on vacation, there is no routine. You have time to relax and do things you enjoy doing when you want to do them. There's no meeting you have to make or children you have to care for (because you're not taking your kids on your romantic vacation, of course) There's no obligation of any kind. Keep reading...

More romantic getaway advice from YourTango:

• 5 Vacation Ideas For Cash-Strapped Couples
• The 10 Most Romantic Destinations You've Never Heard Of
• 5 Benefits Of A Romantic Getaway

2. You'll share new experiences with your partner. Novelty releases dopamine, the feel-good neurotransmitter. Being together with your partner when you're both out of your usual surroundings also allows oxytocin (the bonding hormone) to flow. Both of these neurochemicals played a role in the two of you getting together in the first place. Doing new things together reignites those feelings from the early days and recreates that "in love" high. This is the feeling that led you to rip your clothes off and engage in passionate lovemaking as often as possible. Being on vacation creates the opportunity to return to those glory days.

3. You get to spend one-on-one time with your spouse. Intimacy isn't just a physical phenomenon. It is emotional, mental and spiritual as well. "Getting busy" is just one aspect of intimacy, although it's the one that's easiest to quantify. True intimacy involves sharing your whole self with each other: your thoughts, dreams, and fears, as well as your bodies. When you're on vacation, you have time to engage in deeper conversations, during which this intimate sharing takes place. The two of you are replicating those dating behaviors that became the foundation of your relationship. You have the time to go past your standard informational exchange to really talk on a more personal level. This creates an atmosphere of closeness that naturally leads to physical intimacy.

Couples always want to know if it's possible to still be in love after years together. Taking couples-only vacations on a regular basis is one of the best ways to do that. It keeps you connected and your sex life humming.