17 Date Night Ideas at Home for Spoonies

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Let’s be honest: living with chronic illness isn’t terribly romantic. When you’re sick, you probably don’t feel very sexy, nor do you have much energy for typical date night activities. Going on a romantic night out just isn’t that obvious when you’re tired, in pain or suffer from severe food sensitivities.

But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make time for love when you’re chronically ill. On the contrary;  now more than ever you may want to have fun together, forget about your worries for a while and strengthen your bond.

Thankfully, with a little creativity you can still have a fabulous time together. And the good news is, the 17 date night ideas at home for spoonies below prove that you don’t even have to leave the house to relax, rekindle and do something exciting. Because in the end, a romantic or playful atmosphere matters more than what you actually do.

So if you’re looking for new ways to enjoy each other’s company despite chronic illness, take a look at these 17 low-energy ideas for a cozy date night at home. 

17 Low-Energy Date Night Ideas at Home

1.  Take ‘dinner and a movie’ to the next level by matching your menu and movie. Enjoy a Moroccan feast before watching Casablanca, follow up a romantic French dinner with Chocolat or eat a healthier Eton Mess during About Time.

2.  Laugh! It releases feel-good endorphins and connects people. Watch some stand-up comedy together or play silly games.

3.  When’s the last time you really talked instead of discussing the day-to-day things? Ask these 36 questions for happy relationships from science.

4.  Do something out-of-the-ordinary, like drawing each other’s portraits, having a lip sync battle or getting into a Nerf fight.

5.  Slow dance! It doesn’t get more romantic than that.

6.  Got a garden, balcony or roof top terrace? Take your date outside. You could lay down in the garden together and look up at the sky. Roasting marshmallows over the fire pit or simply watching the sunset are also always a good idea.

7. Turn watching sports games into a mini event, with matching outfits and snack boards.

8.  Try couples yoga. No need for complicated poses, you can simply sit with your backs against each other in Supported Half Lotus or help your partner with their practice.

9.  Shake up your normal routine. Have dessert first, get up early to watch the sunrise, camp out in a different room of the house or go on a breakfast date.

10.  Cuddle up on the couch and listen to audiobooks together.

11. Have a low-stakes competition: throwing paper planes, stacking cups, a blind drawing competition, a Trivia duel or Mariokart racing, whatever gets you both fired up.

12. Heat things up with a fondue night. Melt your favorite cheeses and dunk in crunch veg and slices of French baguette. Or go for a dippable dessert and feed each other chocolate-covered fruits.

13. Watch travel or house-hunting shows and dream together. Pick places you’d hypothetically go or live if money and health weren’t an issue. Maybe you can even start designing your dream room/garden/trip and explore solutions to make it happen despite your obstacles?

14. Take a sensual bath together. If you’re not painfully sensitive to touch, let your partner wash your hair or rub you with body lotion afterwards.

15. Build something together, from adult LEGO or a miniature house kit to a simple DIY project you can pause anytime.

16. Take a trip down memory lane. Browse photos from when you were young, watch a childhood favorite show or listen to the music from your teenage years, to get to know each other even better.

17. Play (naughty) games that aren’t mentally taxing. You can adjust the rules to your own liking.

For more spoonie-friendly fun things to do at home – with your lover, friends or by yourself – check out The Bored and Sick Guide. 

To keep romance alive in sickness and in health, check out ’60 Spoonie-Proof Ways to Express Your Love Language with Chronic Illness’ and ‘Let’s Talk About Sex: How to Deal with Intimacy Issues with Chronic Illness’.