10 Tiny Signs Even A 'Good Couple' Is Headed For Divorce

Have you ever met that couple who seems to have all aspects of their marriage dialed in perfectly? Until one day you hear they have begun divorce proceedings. This should not come as a surprise since there are usually signs of a slow erosion of the relationship foundation occurring longer than you might think.

Here are 10 tiny signs even a 'good couple' is headed for divorce

1. Lack of communication

One of the biggest challenges most couples face is poor communication or lack of communication. If one or both partners in the relationship do not communicate their challenges and concerns, this is usually a sign they're heading down the wrong path. Sometimes the communication is there but it's about "superficial" things and not the root of the problem.

How familiar does this sound "Hey honey are you OK? Is there anything bothering you?" Answer: "NO, I'm OK, it's nothing". If you've caught yourself in this situation or asked these questions and your gut tells you something different, it is a bad sign.

A lot of human communication is non-verbal and often used to indicate problems, as referenced in a 2022 study. If your partner shows you through their actions, body language, and gestures something’s wrong, yet they refuse to talk about it, take that as a sign.

RELATED: It Took Two Divorces For Me To Learn What Destroys A Marriage

2. Forgetting important dates

Do you recall when you first started dating how important "dates" were to you? When you could recite the date and exact time you met and how many minutes or hours it was since your last conversation?

Now fast forward to your 7th wedding anniversary or Mother's and Father's Day and your spouse completely forgets? Although there are definite exceptions to this rule, when your other half forgets important "relationship" dates such as birthdays and anniversaries, it's a definite sign their mind is elsewhere and not on you.

3. Very little intimacy

Well, this is a no-brainer. Some couples say the average married couple is physically intimate twice a week. For some, they say they are lucky if they are physically intimate once a month. If it’s been months since you were intimate, this is a big indicator of challenges. Intimacy is also about how you treat one another and is a significant factor in marital satisfaction, as shown in research from 2017. If you lack basic affection and consideration for each other, you are heading towards divorce.

4. No time for one another

When your spouse loses interest in you, or you just pass each other on the way out the door or sit down for quick meals at the dinner table, you are more like roommates or acquaintances. Many divorced couples share that they were doing many things on their own before the separation.

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5. Sleeping in different beds

It amazes me how many couples sleep in separate beds. The reasons are irrelevant in my opinion, but if you regularly sleep in separate beds, you might as well be single.

6. Working a lot of extra hours

A partner who would rather stay at the office than come home to spend quality time with his partner is a sign. When working weekends and missing family events become a regular occurrence, you need to take it as a sign something may be wrong.

7. Lots of alone time

Are you finding yourself alone a lot? Are you attending family functions by yourself? Are you always getting an excuse from your partner why they don’t want to come with you to your events or functions? Is your partner always busy with their interests and spending time with their friends? Take this as a sign.

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8. You feel like you're roommates

When was the last time you had those butterfly feelings?

9. You or your partner is always stressed

Stress is a negative emotion and causes physical and mental health challenges, as reinforced by a 2021 study. Is your partner constantly irritated and having difficulty sleeping? Are they constantly tired and distracted and have a hard time concentrating? Are they irritable, forgetful, and socially withdrawn? Stress can kill any relationship if not dealt with. Too much stress in the marriage will lead to the road of separation

10. You fight over ridiculous things

If you notice you spend more time bickering than loving one another, this is a sign. If you’re easily annoyed and seem to lack any sort of patience for your partner, it’s a sign you’ve lost basic respect and you just don’t like your partner anymore.

RELATED: The 5 Most Common Reasons People Get Divorced (& 5 Unusually Specific Ones)

Carmelia Ray is a dating, matchmaking, and attraction expert with 20+ years of experience. She has worked with North America’s largest and leading professional matchmaking companies, helping thousands of singles achieve their relationship goals.