If you’re in a long-distance relationship and having to spend Valentine's Day away from your partner this year, don’t let it get you down. Research suggests that long-distance relationships could actually have closer connections because of the great technology available to keep in touch and the way those couples communicate.

According to a study carried out by the City University of Hong Kong, long- distance relationships can lead to couples becoming closer and developing stronger bonds. Research showed that such couples tended to share more personal thoughts and feelings, and felt their partners were more responsive to them than the couples who weren’t separated by distance reported, making them feel a greater closeness.

Dr Crystal Jiang believes that modern forms of communication such as text- messaging, emailing, video-calling, and free telephone services sites have helped long distance couples feel closer, making the loss of physical contact much easier to cope with. A recent survey* showed that 61 per cent of people in long-distance relationships believed video-calling improved their romantic relationships by making them feel more connected when they are apart. And when it comes to having the best long-distance relationships, Germans top the table by making the most effort to visit their loved one.

* Research conducted Microsoft with Skype users / **Survey conducted among 3,227 Europeans by BlaBlaCar (a car-sharing community) to see which country went the extra mile for their partners