Physical attraction is a science. It's your body's chemical reaction to that hottie across the bar or your favorite barista at your go-to coffee shop. (Think Lorelai and Luke.) There's nothing like that first spark between you and someone new. It's exhilarating, and when it leads to an actual relationship, it can seem like the best feeling in the world. And while that early, hot physical attraction may not always be as intense as it was in the beginning, there are several signs your partner is physically attracted to you that prove your bae still thinks you're all that and a bag of chips, no matter how much time has passed. You know, in case you had any doubts.
Before you start analyzing any little thing your partner does as a lack of physical attraction, it's important to note that things between you might simmer down over time. You may not always be as obsessed with each other as you were on day one, but that doesn't mean the love isn't there. "Oftentimes, the different levels of comfort in the relationship kind of bring on different physical reactions," Brit Burr, editor at large and writer for Psych N Sex, tells Elite Daily. "The first level of comfort would be actually feeling comfortable to reach out and make physical connections. The second one would be just being comfortable with each other’s bodies inhabiting the space in a less deliberate way."
Remember: Your bae has no reason not to be physically attracted to you from one day to the next. Chances are they're still as crazy about you as they were in the beginning, they just may show it differently once they're more comfortable in your relationship. But if you're still in doubt, read on for five signs that attraction hasn't gone anywhere, nor will it.
Physical attraction between two consenting adult partners is "not calculated, it’s stuff that people do without being able to help it," Burr says. "They can't stop touching you, they want to be near you, and they are intoxicated by your smell," relationship and wellness coach Shula Melamed, MA, MPH, tells Elite Daily.
It's normal to be super self-aware about your physical appearance at the beginning of your relationship. But honestly? Bae loves you for who you are, not what you look like! Once you realize that, you'll worry less about looking your best. "They are attracted to you when you are all dressed up or dressed down," Melamed says. And that's such a great feeling.
"They look at you for an extended period of time, taking it all in," Melamed adds. Honestly, when I catch my boyfriend looking at me when he thinks I'm not paying attention, I can't stop myself from smiling. It's just a sweet situation because I look at him all the time, and knowing he does the same is incredibly comforting.
Wanting to be near someone as much as possible is definitely a sign of physical attraction, Burr says. "If you are [in] the same room and moving about a room, and they orient their gaze and their shoulders to face you, that’s a good sign," she explains. "If you’re in a room, and they are physically contacting you, like if you’re near them, a hand is always winding up on your shoulder or on your lap."
"You know if you’re talking to someone, and they interrupt you and they’re like, 'Oh, I really like you' or someone says, 'Oh, you’re cute,' and interrupts what you’re saying?" Burr says. They may not even know why they're saying it, "but it’s like your little isms that are very much you are triggering that response," she explains. "Basically, any sort of sporadic behavior that comes from physical touch or needing to reach out" can be a sign of their physical attraction to you.
Honestly, the only time it ever feels good to be interrupted is when it's bae saying, "Ugh, I love you."
Remember: It's totally normal for relationships to tone down in intensity as time passes. That's not a bad sign, it just means the honeymoon phase is passing. Your partner probably loves you just as much as they did at the beginning. And if there's any reason you think differently, or they've done anything at all to make you feel unloved, it might be time to sit down with them and have a conversation. You deserve to feel like the gem that you are, so don't be afraid to ask for the affection that you need!
