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Posted: 2018-01-05T03:56:51Z | Updated: 2018-01-05T17:47:28Z

Ups and downs are par for the course in any long-term relationship . But its a commonly held belief that at the seven-year mark specifically, couples tend to fall into a slump, which often leaves them feeling restless and dissatisfied with the marriage. This is known as the seven-year itch .

Indeed, the median length of marriages that end in divorce has long hovered around seven years , according to U.S. government data . But, overall, relationship experts are divided on whether this phenomenon is real.

No one has discovered anything particularly special about the seventh year of a relationship, Karl Pillemer, the author of 30 Lessons for Loving: Advice From the Wisest Americans on Love, Relationships, and Marriage , told HuffPost. So couples should not dread the seventh year as a unique threat. On the other hand, studies do show that on average, marital satisfaction and overall quality drop over the first several years people are together, as real life and in particular kids enter the picture.

Couples can, of course, fall into a rut at any point in a relationship whether its been six months, seven years or decades. But if youre one of the couples who feels the so-called itch coming on, dont fret. We reached out to experts who gave us their advice on how to reignite the spark in your marriage right now.