Netflix and chilling isn’t just for hot new couples, as settling down in front of a box set or film could be the key to long lasting love.

Researchers from Aberdeen University also found that couples who aren’t interested in bingeing on Mad Man or Game of Thrones can also get the feelings of closeness from reading the same book, and for partners who don’t have that many cross over friends, sharing a TV or book interest can improve relationships the most.

This is because couples almost adopt the characters they are seeing or reading, claim experts.

Conclusions were drawn after a group of more than 250 men and women, all in long-term relationships, were quizzed by Dr Sarah Gomillion and her team. Questions varied from how close they felt to their other half and how committed they were to them, to how often they watched TV and films together or read the same book.

They were also asked about what friends that had in common.

Results showed that couples who regularly spent time together in front of the box, or reading the same book, had closer unions. This was especially so when the pair shared few friends.

"What these results suggest to us is that when people have a hole in their social network that they share with their partners they might become more motivated to share media as a way to compensate for that deficit,” Dr Gomillion said.

"Watching TV with a partner or watching a movie you both like is a really easy way to improve relationship quality and anyone can do it at any time so if this is something that is good for relationships, it might help us identify an intervention that can improve relationship quality."

Results were published in the Journal of Society and Personal Relationships.

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