Next time your sweetie forgets to pick up the milk, plays Wii instead of cleans up the garage or does anything else that irritates you, instead of stewing, try saying a prayer for your mate’s good health and happiness. In a new study out of Florida State University, folks who prayed for their partner’s well-being felt closer to him or her and were more willing to overlook their honey’s flaws than those who didn’t pray. The reason? Regardless of your religious or non-religious beliefs, praying makes us feel instantly more compassionate and loving, which helps us let go of resentments more easily.

[photo: Katie Tegtmeyer]

If you’re a woman, wiggle as you walk and if you’re a man, channel a John Wayne-like shoulder swagger. According to studies from a research team out of Texas A&M University and New York University, women who sway their hips as they walk are perceived as 50% more attractive and men who sway their shoulders as they walk are perceived as more than twice as attractive as those who tread with less motion. Researchers chalk it up to an evolutionary quirk that makes us use body cues to help decipher gender: extra movement in the hips makes us look more feminine and more movement in the shoulders makes us appear more  masculine.

[photo: Alaskan Dude]

Your honey helps you become a better person—and vice versa! According to a new study in the journal Current Directions in Psychological Science, we all tend to improve our partners by encouraging positive personality traits and helping them achieve personal goals. For instance, your sweetie may help you overcome shyness by asking you to share one of your funniest stories at a dinner party. And you might help your sweetie achieve a lifelong dream of learning the guitar by signing him up for lessons.

[photo: rochelle, et. al.]

Sure, Oscar night is famous for its glitz and glam as our favorite actresses get dressed to the nines and stroll the red carpet. But, special occasions are not the only time actors—or you—should dress up. A study in the Home Economics Journal reveals that wearing your dressier outfits for everyday activities makes people see you as friendlier and more approachable. The reason? “When you wear dressy outfits, it tells others that you’re confident, positive and energetic—and people are naturally drawn to folks with these qualities like a magnet,” confirms Tonya Reiman, author of The Power of Body Language.

Tip: To instantly make any outfit dressier, add accessories. “Earrings, a beautiful necklace, bracelets, belt, even a watch, add more glamour to whatever you’re wearing,” says Reiman.

[photo: cliff1066™]

1. Spark a stronger connection with a kiss. Lafayette College research shows that your kisses trigger a surge of the bonding hormone oxytocin in your guy, making him feel closer to you instantly. Bonus: His kisses give you a tiny dose of testosterone, a hormone that ignites desire. 
2. Feel good together by calling each other names. A top secret of super-happy couples? They call each other by playful pet names (such as “love muffin” or “sugar bear”) and have insider codes that only the two of them understand, such as a tap on the nose means it’s time to leave a party. How do these tricks help? They make you feel like you’re in an exclusive club that only the two of you can belong to, reports the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.
3. Rev your passion by sledding. Or going dancing, taking a weekend getaway or doing anything else that’s exciting. Couples who make time for fun stay devoted to each other while those who fall into a boring rut tend to drift apart, reveals a study out of Stony Brook University.

Fun fact: Men recently asked to rate what’s most important to them in a woman ranked brains higher than beauty, reveals a University of Iowa study. Reading books, keeping up on the news and having varied interests keeps the conversation—and you—more  interesting!

[photo: kjunstorm]

You’ll be turning men’s heads this Valentine’s Day when you wear a red dress, red blouse, red hair band, red lipstick, red earrings or red flower in your hair. In five experiments, University of Rochester psychologists found that the color red makes men instantly more attracted to the woman wearing it. Men’s brains, like those of other primates, are naturally wired to respond positively to the fiery color because it signals good health and sexual maturity, the researchers explain.

[photo: Lynette Lan]

Use it to write down a list of household tasks—such as doing laundry, walking the dog and taking out the trash—and who’s responsible for doing each. According to a recent study in the journal Communication Research, couples who make it clear who’s responsible for certain household tasks have warmer, more positive conversations than couples who don’t make it clear. And, no wonder! Without a clear-cut list, each partner expects the other to take care of it, resulting in arguments when it doesn’t get done.

[photo: tomeppy]

But, surprisingly, it’s not doing favors for your better half that boosts your appeal—it’s when you do favors for someone else, such as bringing food to a food pantry, driving a neighbor to an appointment or donating clothes to a shelter. That’s the news from researchers at the University of Nottingham in the U.K., who, in a series of recent studies, found that people were more attracted to partners who did selfless acts for others.

[photo: bp6316]