The Little Book of Otter Philosophy. Jennifer McCartney

isn’t about being funny, though, he notes. It’s about how we use humour in times of stress – turning a potentially negative interaction into a positive one.

Finally, what seems to be obvious is supported by science: doing fun activities with a loved one can be beneficial to the relationship. A study entitled ‘Compatibility, Leisure and Satisfaction in Marital Relationships’ found that a relationship benefited from shared leisure time as long as both partners enjoyed the activity. (That means if one person isn’t into it,† the whole relationship actually suffers.) So find your compatible interests, and make time for them: suntanning, hitting up the art gallery, playing darts, going to the movies, saving the elephants,‡ whatever you want, as long as you both enjoy it.

      ‘In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.’

      Khalil Gibran

      Otter Fact: Otters wrap themselves in kelp to help anchor themselves while they nap.

We once saw a bunch of very sunburned people floating in inner tubes down the Bow River which runs through downtown Calgary, Canada. There were about 20 in the group, each one’s tube linked to the next, and all holding a can of Budweiser, except for the few who appeared to be napping. Styrofoam containers with more beer floated behind them, also tethered by ropes. Bathrooms? Not important. Mobiles? Nope. Sunblock? Didn’t look like it. All we heard was laughter, conversation and the pleasant hum of the river as it washed them downstream – a magic web of drunk friendship. This kind of dedication to both nap and playtime, drinking and friendship, is definitely something to strive for. How can you up your nap game? A weighted blanket? A drop of melatonin? A hammock? A body pillow? What about your friendships? Time for a bit of axe-throwing? Canoeing? A simple pub crawl? Whatever you decide, I wish for you the kind of joy that comes from being drunk in a river in an inner-tube convoy with your best mates. That’s the stuff friendships are made of.