8 signs she is cheating on you

Suspect your partner of cheating? You may want to look out for the following signs...

While men in general have always had a reputation for being love rats, recent studies have shown that an increasing number of women are also getting up to no good. And unlike their male counterparts, they're less likely to get found out and more likely to lie about it, the study by Dr David Holmes, a psychologist from the UK's Manchester Metropolitan University, says.

No man wants to believe their partner is cheating on them, but sometimes it's hard not to rule it out. And no matter how great the liar, at one point, they will slip up.

Here are 10 signs you need to look for if you suspect your other half of having an affair. 

1)She has a mysterious new friend

Peter Spalton, also known as 'The Dating Doctor', says that women who cheat will often create superficial friends to throw suspicious partners off course. He says: "You may find that she goes out with these friends regularly, maybe the same evening each week. She might even come up with a reason, maybe work or a hen party, so she can stay overnight."

2)She acts powerful

A study in the Psychological Science journal found that women in powerful positions at work, such as CEOs and high-ranking managers, are as likely to cheat on their partners as men. Researchers believe high-flying women are more confident and become increasingly hard headed over the course of their affair.

3)She becomes moody

Experts say that women suffer from bouts of mood swings when they're plagued by guilt. They claim break-outs of temperamental behaviour are a reflection of the turmoil she feels inside, so if all of a sudden, she starts throwing fits out of the blue, it could be that she's blaming herself for something. Or she could be troubled by something else - either way, it's worth finding out.

4)She puts more effort into her looks

Spalton says women who cheat will change their appearance in order to entice the man they're having an inappropriate relationship with.

He says: "She spends much longer in the bathroom before she goes out, and tries to hide her anticipation as she's getting ready. She might even play it down and suggest that she doesn't really want to go out, but can't let her friend down."

5)She's more secretive

According to Spalton, if your partner becomes increasingly secretive out of the blue it's one of the obvious signs she's got something to hide. He says: "She has her phone on silent vibrate and carries it with her all the time. She gets up when you're both watching television in the evening to go to the loo and takes her phone with her. She seems ages and gets agitated if you ask her if everything is all right."

6)She acts more distant/detaches herself from you

A study in the journal Psychological Science found that women in adulterous affairs are often more concerned about their relationship ending than men are. This means if she's slowly distancing herself from you, she could be taking steps to deal with the likelihood of your relationship ending.

7)She becomes defensive when you question her schedule

While many things can disrupt a couple's schedules - such as a last-minute work trip or meeting - if it's a common occurrence and your partner is being discreet about it, you may have good reason to worry, says Spalton. He says: "She may become very vague about where she's been or what she's done, saying something like, 'we just met up for a girly chat'. Or she might give you lots of detail in a very formal way as though she's rehearsed a story for you.

8)"Your gut tells you so

The most important thing is to follow your gut feeling. You know her better than anyone else so can instantly pick up on any irregularities, whether it's in her wardrobe or daily routine. If you suspect anything, don't be afraid to investigate further. After all, if she's got nothing to hide then she needn't worry.