The four non-verbal clues that indicate your relationship may be coming to an end

Actions can speak louder than words when it comes to the end of a relationship

More often than not, you can tell when a relationship you’re in is going to end.

Whether something prompted the breakup or the love has simply faded over time, there are usually signs that indicate your partner is no longer invested in the relationship.

Unfortunately, these signs are not always verbal - rather, they can be subtle changes in body language that warn of the inevitable split.

To know what signs to look for, we spoke to author and body-language expert Patti Wood, who described four non-verbal clues that suggest everything is not smooth-sailing.

According to Wood, the “most important indication is a change in non-verbal clues.

“If you know what normal, happy, healthy is in a relationship when things change even small changes in non-verbal cues can be telling,” she told us.

One of the most important things to be aware of, and one of the “basic foundational principles of body language,” is that you “go towards what you like and you retreat from or run away from what you don’t like,” according to Wood.

If the norm was for your partner to lean in as you spoke, a healthy sign in a relationship, and now they are leaning away or reverting when you come near, it may be an indicator something is off in the relationship.

Wood also advises being aware of the time spent together - and apart.

Although it is normal for schedules to become busier, couples should want to spend time together.

If this changes, becoming anything from “not spending weekend days with you that they did before or coming home late or leaving for work early,” and there is no other “external cause,” according to Wood, it might be worth speaking to your partner.

Another possible indicator is eye contact, or a lack thereof.

“As basic as it is, when somebody loves you they like looking at you,” Wood told us. “If there’s a sudden change in the amount of time they spend looking at you and making eye contact with you,” it is not a good sign.

Finally, “touch is a powerful communicator so changes in the number of times they touch you or the location they touch you are telling,” said Wood.

If your partner used to love holding your hand but suddenly has no interest in physical contact, their body may be telling you something that they haven't verbally said.

Whether they are made consciously or not, non-verbal clues can be an important indicator of the health of your relationship.