Quality can be better than quantity – even if, like Emily Maitlis and her husband, you are like ‘ships that pass in the night’

It will be a familiar scenario for any couple juggling long, or antisocial, hours. The Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis has said she and her husband, Mark Gwynne, an investment banker, “don’t see enough of each other”. They have been married for 18 years, and because of their jobs, she said in an interview with Good Housekeeping, “we’re like ships that pass in the night”. But, she added, “it works”.

How much time do couples need to spend together for a healthy relationship? It depends on the couple, of course, says the relationship counsellor Silva Neves. “What would be ideal for couples, especially if they have little time, would be to have meaningful contact first thing in the morning – that can be one full minute of a meaningful hug or kiss, because that really deepens intimacy. When people come home, do the same thing. If it’s possible, send a few texts during the day, or even a heart or a kiss emoji. Those are small things that take very little time but make a difference in the connection of couples.”