MR says: When it comes to strengthening your marriage, sometimes it is the most basic things that count. Be sure to take care of yourself so that you can be in a place where you can also support your spouse.
Family therapist Lee N. Johnson has advice for married couples who aren't connecting, but it's probably not what one expects. . . . Johnson, a professor in the School of Family Life, said he always has the same starter advice for battling couples: exercise, get more sleep and cultivate a hobby, as well as practice some stress reduction techniques.
Exercise feeds the body much as scripture and prayer feed the spirit, he said. Aerobic exercise combined with weight-training can balance the body's neurotransmitters and help combat depression, he said.
A hobby that one enjoys increases the window of tolerance for stressful situations, benefitting not only oneself but one's spouse. "It's vital," he said.
Sleep deprivation leads to a 60 percent increase in "fight or flight" reactions, he said.