Women often crave an unexpected kiss, embrace or display of affection. Intimacy can make partners feel empowered, valued and embraced. A lack of intimacy can make your wife not only unhappy, but also feel vulnerable, unloved and lonely, according to psychiatrist Mark Banschick in a Psychology Today article titled “The Unhappy Marriage: Stay or Go? You can reignite the passion in your marriage by showing affection, initiating intimate moments and making time for the two of you to be alone, on a consistent basis.

After years of marriage, couples often forego communication when consumed by caring for children, completing household chores and balancing work and home life. A lack of communication, though, can lead to misunderstandings, resentment and feelings of neglect within your marriage. If your wife no longer attempts to communicate with you, it’s possible that she is unhappy with the marriage and has given up on the connection you both once had. Even though it is difficult to launch a conversation about feelings and faltering aspects of your marriage, it could save your marriage, according to an article titled “Major Causes of Divorce in This Modern Era” on HealthGuide.org. Put forth the effort to make your wife happy by reserving time each day to have conversations about likes, dislikes, feelings, hobbies, goals and dreams. Taking the initiative to learn more about each other can significantly improve your marriage.

No one likes to be ignored or neglected, but it happens every day in many marriages. In fact, neglect is one of the most common reasons women file for divorce, according to Dr. Willard F. Harley, founder of MarriageBuilders.com, in the article titled “Why Women Leave Men.” Neglect is defined as both physical and emotional abandonment, Harley says. Whether a husband works long hours, socializes more with his friends than his wife or simply ignores his wife while at home, the result is an unhappy wife. Your wife needs interaction, support and communication to feel valued in the relationship. Recognizing how and why she feels neglected can help the two of you determine strategies to make each other feel needed and wanted.

Concerns about finances often contribute to marital disagreements. Money matters and when women feel stressed about spending and feel as if they do not have the support of their husband to contribute and budget, she likely experiences feelings of anger, sadness, worry and stress. Communication is key when married couples face financial troubles. When couples do not share financial responsibilities or give financial support to one another, arguments about spending will follow suit, HealthGuide states. Constant disagreements about money that make your wife unhappy will disrupt all aspects of your marriage, including communication, intimacy and quality time. Work to compile a financial plan or budget together that you can both abide by for years to come to relieve worry and stress on your marriage.