8 relationship ground rules celebrity couples swear by

1. They make time for each other

Robert Downey Jr. and his wife, Susan, don't let their busy schedules get in the way.

"We do have a two-week rule, which often feels too long, but we don't go more than two weeks without seeing each other and the family being together," Susan Downey said.

Similarly, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay and his wife, Tana, protect their time together with regular date nights — where sneakers are strictly off-limits.

"So we kind of dress up, you know. A nice dress, and I'll wear heels. He'll wear a suit or a shirt and proper shoes," Tana said. "Proper time together," Tana Ramsay said.

After all, it's all about putting in the effort to keep the flame alive, Kelsey Grammar said.

"I always say, 'Love is a contact sport,'" he said. "Once in a while you got to back it up with some action."

2. They sleep apart

For some, sleeping apart has become a key to staying together.

Carson Daly has called sleep divorce the "best thing" for his marriage. The "Today" host started sleeping separately from his wife when she was pregnant with their fourth child, in part due to his sleep apnea and loud snoring.

"We both, admittedly, slept better apart," he said.

Bette Midler has similarly said snoring played a role in her decision to sleep in separate bedrooms from her husband of more than 40 years.

For "Shark Tank" star Barbara Corcoran and her husband, separate bedrooms come with clear boundaries.

"I have to invite him into my bedroom, and I like it that way," Corcoran said.

In Jack Wagner's case, separate bedrooms aren't enough. The "General Hospital" star and his wife, who he married in 2025, live separately.

"She has her place. I still have mine," Wagner said. "We're both super comfortable in our places and going back and forth, and so we've decided, let's not rock the boat."

3. They go to couples therapy regularly

Rob Lowe, who has been married to Sheryl Berkoff for over 30 years, said he and his wife have gone for counselling even when they "didn't need it."

"It's like taking your car in and making sure the engine's running great," Lowe said.

"Freakier Friday" actor Manny Jacinto has shared similar advice, saying one of the best relationship tips he's received is to start couples therapy before problems arise.

"You don't want to be going to couples therapy when you're in a really bad spot because sometimes it might be too late," Jacinto said.

4. They put their partnership first

Some celebrities believe a strong partnership is the foundation of a strong family.

Ayesha Curry said she and Stephen Curry focus on their relationship first, before stepping into their roles as mom and dad.

"And that works for us because then you have two happy people raising the kids in the house. So the family sector in our lives always comes first," Curry said.

Kylie Kelce has shared a similar perspective, saying she makes a point to date and appreciate her husband, Travis Kelce, even though they're already married.

"Like, you chose to love them, you chose to let them love you, and you chose to build a life together," Kelce said.

"I love my kids with my whole heart and I always will, but I chose my husband. I didn't choose my kids. I got what I got with my kids," she added.

Even without kids, that same principle still applies. Ina Garten said mutual consideration has been central to her nearly 60-year marriage.

Every decision she makes with her husband has to work for both of them, she said: "It's not about whether we get to do what you want to do or I want to do."

5. They separate work and personal life

Mixing business and marriage isn't easy, which is why some couples who work together set clear boundaries.

Jay Shetty and his wife, Radhi Devlukia, may run a sparkling tea brand together, but they avoid talking about work over dinner.

"That's not because I don't love what I do. I love what I do, but when I'm with her, I just want to be with her," Shetty said.

Nick Lachey co-hosts "Love Is Blind" with his wife, Vanessa, and says compartmentalizing helps them keep their relationship strong. Whatever happens at work stays at work, and vice versa.

"Sometimes you show up for work and there's an argument at home that you brought with you to work, and you don't want that to bleed over," Lachey said.

6. They laugh together

Some celebrity couples say laughter is their secret weapon.

Gwen Stefani said there isn't a day she spends with Blake Shelton that goes by without laughter.

For Michelle Obama, that humor often comes in the form of teasing her husband, Barack Obama.

"I said, 'When I tease you, it's like, you know, it's like a love tap," Obama said, recalling her words to her husband.

7. They give each other space

For several celebrity power couples, closeness doesn't mean doing everything side by side. Supporting each other's individual lives is part of the deal.

Michelle Yeoh said her husband, former Ferrari CEO Jean Todt, has always backed her jet-setting career. Despite long stretches apart, he's always deeply understanding of her passion for work.

"He never turns around and says you spend a lot of time away from me, which I have sometimes, but he's very understanding," Yeoh said.

In her long partnership with Kurt Russell, Goldie Hawn has said maintaining independence is key.

"It's a freedom of self, it's a freedom of basically, not melding into somebody else," she said.

8. They show up for each other during hard times

When life takes an unexpected turn, some celebrities say that's when commitment matters most.

Jay Leno said he enjoys caring for his wife, Mavis, following her dementia diagnosis, and called it part of the promise he made when they married.

"At some point in my life, I'm going to be called upon to defend myself. I think that's really what defines a marriage. I mean, that's really what love is. That's what you do. I mean, I'm glad I didn't cut and run. I'm glad I didn't run off with some woman half my age or any of that silly nonsense. I would rather be with her than doing something else," Leno said.

Emma Heming Willis has also been candid about the emotional complexity of caring for Bruce Willis after his frontotemporal dementia diagnosis.

"I carry it with me all the time, but I can also bring in happiness, too, and laughter, and be able to connect with other people that feels really special and meaningful, where I didn't ever think that I would get there," Heming Willis said.