While sex is an essential part of a good marriage, the art of sensuality is lost on many couples. Arousing the senses purely for the enjoyment of that stimulation, even if it doesn’t always lead to sex, keeps the senses tingling and makes the relationship more exciting.

Long, slow kisses, warm embraces, and playful moments of tickling usually come natural to people who are in love. Yet, sometimes these things get lost when life takes over, and married couples especially, must take care to keep those sparks alive.

You can also develop an array of other sensual experiences to keep things fresh and to develop a more intimate relationship. Here are some ideas:

1. Learn to give a great massage. Massage is an art and there are plenty of tantalizing techniques you can develop that will make your husband or wife feel pampered. Add scented oils, lotions, or even powder to diffuse friction while deeply massaging tight, tired muscles. Help your spouse learn to let go while you massage away the tensions of the day. A lovingly administered massage can be very healing and nurturing.

2. Touch your spouse often. Hold hands. Brush up against him. Sit close together. Gently run your fingers over her cheek or through her hair. Touch each other just because you can. Often, the most subtle touches can be the most electrifying. Your husband or wife will feel your deep affection, when you touch him or her every chance you get.

3. Serve sensual meals. Create a mixture of hot and cold, chewy and creamy, smooth and crunchy. Champagne tickling the nose then the tongue, succulent meats and cheeses, warm breads, spicy foods with great textures, and rich, decadent desserts such as fresh berries dipped in chocolate stimulate sight, taste, smell, and touch.

4. Have Special Secrets. Whisper things to each other, share secret gestures, and give each other longing looks. Come up with special words or phrases that don’t mean a thing to anyone else, but mean everything to you and your spouse. Even in a crowded room, make eye contact with your spouse and hold his or her attention until you feel like the only two people there. When you can’t be alone, a discreet wink, a whispered secret, or blowing a little kiss will keep the connection going.

5. Have fun. Life is too short to be serious all the time. It’s okay to be silly and playful. Having fun and laughing together may be the most sensual part of marriage. These things stimulate an overall sense of well being. People who can play and laugh together feel very content with one another, so it is important to keep the fun alive in your marriage.

Sensuality helps keep a marriage warm and comfortable. It can also set the mood for more frequent and more relaxed sexual experiences. The bond that develops through sensual interactions and improved sex is important for maintaining a good marriage even through difficult times. Such a bond also creates deep intimacy, and an openness to touch, that allows each partner to share more readily and to comfort the other more easily in times of trouble.

Now that you know how easy it is to make your marriage even better, and how much fun you can have getting there, what are you waiting for?