Every relationship goes through stages. There’s the honeymoon phase, where everything is new and exciting and you can hardly keep your hands off each other. Then, a few months in, comes the security phase, when you’re no longer wondering, “What are we?” As time goes by and your commitment to one another deepens, talk of your future together and the milestones you’ll reach brings those butterflies right back into your stomach.

But at some point or another, things tend to shift. It may come a few years into the partnership or even after the glisten of being newlyweds has worn off. Sparks may not fly like they used to or it might feel like effort levels have taken a hit. Call it settling down, a ‘blip’ or even a slight rocky patch, but the first sign of going through the motions is often enough to cause alarm bells to sound. Why have things suddenly gone stale? How do we keep the flame alive? Does this mean we’re doomed?

The good news is that this lull period is perfectly normal. In fact, it’s called relationship ‘jet lag’. That kind of hazy disquiet you feel after a long flight and the disorientation of a time warp? Turns out it doesn’t just happen on planes but in relationships too.