This article was co-authored by Omar Ruiz, LMFT and by wikiHow staff writer, Mason Martinez, BA. Omar Ruiz is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and the Owner of TalkThinkThrive, PLLC. With over 11 years of counseling experience, he specializes in helping couples resolve issues and restore intimacy. He has been featured in numerous publications, including The New York Times, Women’s Health, and WebMD. Omar holds a BS in Psychology from Howard University and an MS in Family Therapy from The University of Massachusetts Boston.
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When you first get married, the honeymoon phase is real. You want to spend every waking moment with your wife and shower her with love and affection. But over time, your love may not feel reciprocated, and you may wonder, "Is she still attracted to me?" To help you figure out what's going on, here's a list of the most common signs that a spouse is no longer attracted to their partner, plus what to do about it.
Things You Should Know
- Less quality time, minimal conversation, and lack of physical intimacy and romance could be signs that your wife isn't attracted to you anymore.
- To bridge the gap between you and your wife, take time to self-improve, build better communication habits, and meet her emotional needs.
- Improve your bedroom life by asking her about her fantasies, what she needs, and how you can help to get her there.
Steps
Signs Your Wife Isn’t Attracted to You
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You no longer spend quality time together. At the start of a relationship, it's natural to want to spend every second in each other's company. But when time spent together declines, it can be one of the first signals of your wife's lack of attraction.
- Even if you're in each other's presence, if she's on her phone or distracted by other things, that's not "quality" time.
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She doesn’t laugh at your jokes anymore. When you first started dating, you might have found your wife laughing at everything you did—even if you weren’t trying. But now, anytime you crack a joke, you’re met with silence or empty stares.
- Laughter indicates a romantic connection and is one of the most valuable traits in a partner.[1]
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She constantly rejects your advances. When your wife ignores your sexual advances, recoils from your touch, or avoids kissing you, it can be a real blow to your ego. It can also create a bigger divide in the relationship, where you begin to feel emotionally withdrawn from her.[2]
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She doesn't initiate physical contact. It's normal for spouses to have different levels of desire. In fact, it's a rarity for two people to have the same! But, when every advance comes from only you, it can feel discouraging when the same efforts aren't reciprocated.
- Reader Poll: We asked 919 wikiHow readers, and 66% of them agreed that the most relatable sign that their marriage isn’t in the best place is there's little to no physical or emotional intimacy. [Take Poll]
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She’s not interested in having sex. What was once an exciting and passionate experience shared between you has become dull. You may even question what you're doing wrong. Sex often becomes a routine in married life, sandwiched between all of your other responsibilities like work, household chores, or children. The more sex lacks excitement, the less likely it is to happen.
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There are no more romantic gestures. There may have been a time when your wife would surprise you with morning breakfast or an unexpected present, but now that’s changed. You no longer feel special and may even feel like a burden to her.
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She doesn’t get jealous anymore. While having a partner who never gets jealous may seem like a dream, sometimes it's a sign of a bigger problem. Jealousy is a reaction to the potential loss of a valued relationship.[3] If she's no longer bothered to care if you're checking out other women, she may be one foot out the door.
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She makes plans without you. Solo time is essential for every couple, but the more you do things apart, the more it feels like you're on two separate paths. Where you once may have done everything together now feels the complete opposite.
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She spends more time at work than at home. Receiving repeated, "Sorry, staying late. Don't wait up." texts can be disheartening when you're on the other end. While it's important to have individual goals when your wife's personal goals and interests take priority over your relationship, it can strain the relationship more, causing you to feel isolated and disconnected.[4]
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She doesn’t talk to you anymore. When trapped in a routine of work and other responsibilities, it can be hard to initiate an engaging conversation if things aren't necessarily "exciting" in your life. Even so, a simple "How was your day?" should be more than a one-word answer, right? If not, that's a sign your wife is putting less effort into nurturing her relationship with you.[5]
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She no longer shows you trust or respect. Once, there was a time when your wife turned to you for advice. Now, she's disinterested in what you have to offer. When this happens, it's a detrimental sign of an unhealthy relationship, especially when paired with other key signs like difficulty conversing or frequent arguments.[6]
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She's constantly annoyed and nitpicks everything you do. If your wife believes she's in an unhappy relationship, she may tend to only see the negatives in it. It may be small things like how you chew or bigger things like constantly putting you down.[7] Often, this reaction stems from unresolved resentment.
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Your wife openly talks about other people she's attracted to. It may be a stranger in passing, her favorite character on a TV show, or an old high school crush. However, hearing your wife gush over anyone but you can be challenging. While fantasies are typical for a lot of couples, they also signal how someone feels about their relationship, depending on how sexually satisfied they are.[8]
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You feel more like roommates than a couple. Unlike the honeymoon phase, the roommate phase of a marriage is where spouses have become too comfortable living together. You may watch TV together, but the magic spark you once felt is gone.[9]EXPERT TIPDating CoachJohn Keegan is a Dating Coach and motivational speaker based in New York City. With over 10 years of professional experience, he runs The Awakened Lifestyle, where he uses his expertise in dating, attraction, and social dynamics to help people find love. He teaches and holds dating workshops internationally, from Los Angeles to London and from Rio de Janeiro to Prague. His work has been featured in the New York Times, Humans of New York, and Men's Health.John Keegan
Dating CoachA lack of intimacy can definitely be a red flag. Chances are, there are deeper issues your wife is struggling with, like an unresolved conflict, a stressful life change, or even a health issue. Still, a lack of romance doesn't necessarily mean she doesn't care about you.
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References
- ↑ https://news.ku.edu/2015/08/27/first-comes-laughter-then-love-study-finds-out-why-humor-important-romantic-attraction
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-squeaky-wheel/201406/what-do-when-you-feel-rejected
- ↑ https://www.npr.org/2021/10/09/1044018004/jealousy-relationships-emotions
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/social-instincts/202306/5-signs-youre-being-quiet-dumped-by-your-partner
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/social-instincts/202306/5-signs-youre-being-quiet-dumped-by-your-partner
- ↑ https://counseling.sa.ua.edu/resources/healthy-vs-unhealthy-relationships/
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/magnetic-partners/201608/how-couples-deal-the-loss-physical-attraction
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/myths-desire/202203/can-fantasizing-about-other-people-ruin-relationship
- ↑ https://www.marriage.com/advice/marriage-fitness/roommate-phase-of-marriage