It's a well-known fact that laughter plays a large role in romantic relationships. What's that saying? Laughter is the way to a woman's heart. Although teasing is part of registering sensuality and a powerful weapon in flirting and dating, joking around with your partner is also synonymous with trust and confidence.
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A good laugh
Several early studies have shown that ‘people are looking for a partner with a sense of humour and who enjoys a laugh,’ as psychologist René Proyer from Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg (MLU, Germany) explained.
But according to the professor, laughter also plays a big role… in the bedroom! The Journal of Research in Personality published a study in 2018 suggesting that people who are able to make fun of and laugh at themselves might actually be happier in their sex lives. To come to this conclusion, 154 heterosexual couples answered a series of questions about their sex life, how satisfied they were with their partner, how often they argued and whether they like to laugh at each other.
A small bonus, but don’t overdo it
Their results showed that you’re right to look for a partner with a sense of humour, but that you’ve really hit the jackpot if you find someone who can also laugh at themselves. Participants who were afraid to make fun of themselves said that their sex life was less satisfying in comparison to those who weren’t.
Their partners were also found to be less happy, particularly because they felt like they constantly had to walk on eggshells around their partners. The researchers believe that this stems from the fact that everyone reacts to laughter differently.
'They tend to interpret the laughter as something negative or derogative’ explained René Proyer on the University’s website, before continuing to say that others enjoy being the centre of attention and intentionally provoke situations that make others laugh about them.
So it seems that being able to make your partner giggle could be useful for when you’re under the sheets as well! Participants—particularly men—indicated that they did not feel completely sexually satisfied if their partner was too afraid to push them a bit and have a laugh with them.
But be careful not to overdo it. The study also revealed that couples whose jokes came down to mocking each other often experienced more conflict in their relationships. So, if you want to be a good lover, laugh, but more at yourself!
