5 Simple Strategies to Stop a Fight With Your Partner in Its Tracks

No matter how much you love your partner—or how amazing your relationship is — you're going to argue from time to time.  Tired of fighting with your loved one? Of course, no one enjoys getting into a fight or being at odds with the person they love most. So, to help you end the dispute as quickly as possible and go back to your typically loving selves stat, try these five tips for ending a fight.

Sounds so easy but it can be so hard! However, even if you're certain you're right, chances are you've said or done something during your argument that was not so nice. Apologize for it — without tacking on an excuse for your behavior with a "but, you…" statement! — and your partner will no doubt follow suit. 

One of the main ways fights escalate is when each person delivers quick retorts (without thinking) and interrupts his or her partner before they can finish their statements. Try to avoid this by listening and taking a deep breath before you speak. It may even help to say what you feel like saying in your mind a couple times before actually speaking it — you might just decide you don't want to say those words aloud, after all, especially if they're hurtful. 

Take a five minute time out to get something to drink, use the bathroom—whatever—and in that time you'll likely find a new perspective on what you're arguing about, or you'll realize it's not worth being mad over. 

Various relationship experts advise that fighting naked stops fights instantly...inspiring more, well, spicy activities instead. Give it a try and see if it works for you! 

You may have heard that advice that you should never go to bed mad but that isn't necessarily realistic. If you're arguing late at night, you're going to get sleepy and your brain will start to shut down. Your fight will devolve into a circular conversation that goes nowhere or you might say something mean because you're just so darn tired. Get some shut eye and wake up with a new take on whatever you were fighting about. Then, snuggle.