Nervous your partner might do the dirty on you? Why don't you try getting them in the mood?

New research suggests it could be the secret to stopping your partner from going astray.

According to a new study published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, thinking about sex with your partner increases sexual desire towards them and promotes positive relationship behaviours.

During the investigation, several studies analysed the effects of sexual fantasies on the strength of a relationship.

In the first study, participants were required to fantasise about their significant other ( dyadic fantasy condition) or about someone else (an extradyadic fantasy condition).

They were then asked to describe the fantasy they had. Following the exercise, volunteers were asked to express how badly they wanted to have sex with their partner and if they wanted to spoil them.

Those who had fantasised about their partner reported greater desire to have sex with their partner compared to those thinking about someone else.

In another of the studies, participants who were in a romantic relationship jotted down the frequency of their dyadic fantasies, how often they wanted to have sex and how they were feeling about their relationship over a six-week period.

Findings showed that fantasising about your partner both enhanced their sex appeal but also improved the attitude towards the relationship.

Results suggest that despite the imaginary nature of fantasies, they still have the ability to impact real-life relationships and in a favourable nature.

Findings provide valuable evidence that fantasising can become a valuable tool in maintaining a healthy relationship.