Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Thursday, Oct 02, 2025

Quarantining with your partner? A daily ‘happy hour’ can help, says expert

Quarantining with your partner? A daily ‘happy hour’ can help, says expert

There are ways to get the most out of quarantine time with your partner and avoid conflicts, from a screen-free daily ‘happy hour’ to respecting one another’s personal space.

Covid-19 restrictions are easing and the world is slowly reopening, allowing people to once again venture beyond their own borders. And, with the advent of the holiday season, more may be travelling abroad for a long-awaited vacation or to reunite with loved ones.

But the holiday many of us have been looking forward to may still be marred by strict quarantine measures – like in Hong Kong, which has one of the toughest quarantine regimes in the world. Some people are having to endure a 21-day quarantine before being allowed to enter the city.

While it is stressful enough being confined to a hotel room for three weeks on your own, doing it with a partner can be equally challenging – if not more.

But with the right mindset, you can use your time productively and perhaps even bond with your partner in new ways.

Valentina Tudose is a relationship expert and certified hypnotherapist.


Valentina Tudose, a relationship expert and certified hypnotherapist, says there are ways to get the most of your quarantine time with your partner, and she offers tips to avoid conflicts so that you can carry on “business as usual” throughout the stay.

“See quarantine time as an opportunity for reconnecting with each other. Start with the intention of making the most of it. Before you travel, plan your daily routines to ensure you are mindful of each other’s needs for space at particular times of the day. For example, make sure to avoid scheduling Zoom calls at the same time,” she says.

Tudose explains that our mind can focus for around 90 minutes at most at a time. Accordingly, planning your day in 90-minute intervals can be a productive use of your time. If the room you share is small, you may consider alternating work and rest periods between you.

And she stresses that if conflicts arise, it is likely born from the stress of being confined rather than you.

“The lack of personal space would affect any person’s ability to manage their emotions. Discuss with your partner how you can support each other in those moments. Some people may want a hug while others will need space.”

Give each other space for personal activities, such as watching an online physical training video.


She says it is also important to allocate time to spend with each other by creating a different type of “happy hour”.

“Spend quality time with no phones or social media to distract you. Something as simple as a board game or a card game is a fun way to bond,” she says.

If you have a partner who tends to become hostile when under pressure, Tudose offers the following advice. Firstly, remind yourself that their bad mood is likely not about you but rather to do with something they see differently than you.

Make sure to avoid scheduling Zoom calls at the same time while stuck together in quarantine.


“Help your partner calm down, keep your voice and body language neutral, and ask: ‘Is there something I can do to help you with this problem/situation?’ or ‘What do you need from me?’.

“People are more likely to be open to receiving help if they do not feel being put on the spot,” she points out.

“Try not to complain or blame your partner for things they do or say as that will make them feel judged and escalate the tension. Avoid saying things like, ‘Why do you always do this?’ or ‘You never do this!’, as these can come off as personal attacks against them, rather than their behaviour.”

While it is stressful enough being confined to a hotel room for three weeks on your own, doing it with a partner can be equally challenging.


And if your relationship is “cold” before going into quarantine, you can try having a conversation about how you will stay out of each other’s way and make agreements about respecting each other’s space beforehand, she says.

On how to manage anxiety and stress for yourself and your partner, Tudose offers the following practical tips.

Breathing, exercise and meditation help to regulate emotions. Tudose cites one simple breathing exercise that has proven helpful for her clients.

“Start with one long inhale, followed by a shorter top-up inhale through the nose, followed by a long slow exhale through the mouth. This slows down your heart and oxygenates the brain, which can alleviate stress. Repeat this breathing pattern as much and as often as needed.”

“Conversely, a short bout of physical activity for as little as 10 minutes can use up the adrenaline caused by the stress/anger and give you a much-needed release.”

Finally, a simple five-minute meditation can slow down the “stress centre” in the brain and allow you to reset your system.

A simple five-minute meditation can slow down the “stress centre” in the brain and allow you to reset your system.


No matter how scary or stressful being quarantined might appear, keep in mind that even though there aren’t a lot of things you can control in quarantine, one thing you can control is how you treat one another. So make it a goal to remain kind and respectful, no matter what happens.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
Nvidia and Abu Dhabi’s TII Launch First AI-&-Robotics Lab in the Middle East
UK, Canada, and Australia Officially Recognise Palestine in Historic Shift
New Eye Drops Show Promise in Replacing Reading Glasses for Presbyopia
Dubai Property Boom Shows Strain as Flippers Get Buyer’s Remorse
Top AI Researchers Are Heading Back to China as U.S. Struggles to Keep Pace
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
UAE-US Stargate Project Poised to Make Abu Dhabi a Global AI Powerhouse
Trump and Starmer Clash Over UK Recognition of Palestinian State Amid State Visit
Saudi Arabia cracks down on music ‘lounges’ after conservative backlash
Saudi Arabia Signs ‘Strategic Mutual Defence’ Pact with Pakistan, Marking First Arab State to Gain Indirect Access to Nuclear Strike Capabilities in the Region
Sam Altman sells the 'Wedding Estate' in Hawaii for 49 million dollars
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
Kuwait opens bidding for construction of three cities to ease housing crunch.
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Did the Houthis disrupt the internet in the Middle East? Submarine cables cut in the Red Sea
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Iran Faces Escalating Water Crisis as Protests Spread
More Than Half a Million Evacuated as Typhoon Kajiki Heads for Vietnam
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
×