“Sexual currency often declines in long-term relationships, and it’s one of the contributors to declining spontaneous desire,” says Dr Gurney. “Without sexual currency (if your sexual relationship is switched ‘off’ for most of the month), it can be very hard to transition to being sexual together without awkwardness or feeling as though there are really high stakes involved. You might not even feel like you’re in a sexual headspace at all.”

There are two types of desire – spontaneous and responsive. Spontaneous desire decreases over the course of a long-term relationship, intentionally cultivating opportunities in which responsive desire can occur is key to nurturing a sexual connection with your partner. This is where sexual currency comes in – even if we don’t want to or have time to have sex as often as did early on in a relationship, by maintaining our sexual currency, eg through regular physical affection, using words of affirmation that we know make our partner feel desired or setting aside time for some form of daily intimacy, we consistently sustain the sexual dynamic of the relationship and hence the relational and environmental contexts in which responsive desire can flourish.

“Maintaining the sexual culture of your relationship means relating to each other sexually, little and often,” Dr Gurney concludes. “It reminds you and your partner that you’re still seen and still see each other as a sexual couple.”

If you’re wondering how you can increase your sexual currency, we asked three top experts for their must-know tips…

From a flirty text to an unexpected compliment, ‘sexual currency’ is the neglected relationship habit influencing your sex life. Here’s how to foster it