Women often follow a common pattern in relationships that leads to cheating wives. So, if you think that your wife is doing something fishy but you do not want to put an end to your marriage just like that, then you should know how to tell if your wife is cheating or not.

1. Try to observe if she suddenly stops reacting when you spend a lot of your free time playing online games, watching DVD or TV, or hanging out with friends and co-workers. If in the past she often whines about you playing computer games for hours or watching TV instead of talking to her how your day was, you would be grateful at first for this sudden change. But you should not be overjoyed because when she doesn't mind anymore about the things you do a lot of, it could actually mean that she feels you are not any longer worth of her time and attention.

2. Be on your guard if suddenly she does not ask you to take her out the way she used to. This is one important thing that you should know on how to tell if your wife is cheating because this could mean that there is someone who catches her interest and she wants to spend time with instead of you. If you took her for granted and did not spend more time with her in the past days, weeks, or months, this should alarm you and you should do something fast before any affair develops.

3. If she does not anymore share her feelings, ideas, and even the things that she did during the day, there is a possibility that she is talking to someone else regarding these, perhaps a male friend who can spend more time listening to her. Women by nature want to share everything to their husbands, especially the activities she did during the day, and be listened to especially if something upsets them. When your wife stops telling you her feelings and the details of her day, be on the lookout because someone might be taking your place.

4. Be observant of some changes in her routine and sex life. Does she start working a lot of overtime or leaving home earlier than usual? Does she go on frequent business trips while in fact her position does not call much for these? Or how is she in bed lately, does she start avoid having sex with you and always reason out that she is tired from work? These are a few of the questions that can help you on how to tell if your wife is cheating. Once you find the answers to these and find proof to validate your answers, act fast before it is too late for you to save your marriage.

These are the simple things that you should know on how to tell if your wife is cheating. Keep them in mind so that you can take the necessary steps to resolve the problem before it gets worse.

Listed below are the most common findings about cheating wives:

• Women are less likely to cheat than men. While estimates of infidelity are difficult to establish, surveys consistently reveal that wives tend to be more faithful than husbands.

• When a wife does cheat on her husband, she is more likely to have an emotional affair. Women are less likely than men to have a one night stand.

• Because women are more likely to have an emotional affair, cheating wives tend to cheat with someone who is part of their social group – a friend, a co-worker, someone from school, church, etc.

• A cheating wife is also more likely to swap up when she cheats. Cheating wives tend to have affairs with men who have more status and resources than their husbands. Or women cheat with men who are better relational partners – someone who is more attentive, appreciative and understanding.

• A cheating wife is also more likely to consider leaving her husband when she is having an affair. Because female infidelity tends to be based on emotional intimacy, women often attach more significance to an affair.

• When women cheat, they are also more likely to view their infidelity as a symptom of the problems in their relationship. By comparison, men have an easier time separating infidelity from the problems they face at home.

• Women are also more likely to draw positive inferences about their physical appearance when they are cheating (e.g., I'm still attractive, I'm still desirable, etc.).

• When a woman does have a one night stand, it tends to be with someone who is more attractive and physically fit than her husband.

• Women are also more likely than men to use cheating as a means of getting revenge. While using infidelity to "get even" is rare, "revenge cheating" is more common among women.

Here are some of the most common signs of a cheating wife:

1. She is emotionally distant.

2. She buys new underwear and/or clothes.

3. She sets up a new, secret e-mail account.

4. She goes out “with the girls” and comes home hours later.

5. Her husband finds birth-control pills in the medicine cabinet and he has had a vasectomy.

6. She sets up a secret, cell phone account, billed to her office or a secret credit card.

7. She joins a gym.

8. The toilet seat is up when her husband comes home.

9. She loses her wedding ring or “it wears through.”

10. She deletes all incoming phone calls from caller ID, the phone message machine, her cell messages, and her e-mail.

11. She becomes suspicious of her husband, due to her own guilt.

12. She asks what he would do if she “died.”

13. She takes the car seat and kids’ toys out of her car.

14. She has hickies or bruises on her neck or arms.

15. She stops having sex with her husband for a ridiculous reason.

16. She starts fights to get out of the house and “go to Linda’s” or the mall.

17. She took a day off, but didn’t tell her husband.

18. Her colleagues are uncomfortable around her husband.

19. She’s on the computer a lot after her husband goes to bed.

20. She’s away from home, overnight.

21. Her husband finds small items he didn’t give her.

22. She’s nervous, irritable, and loses her temper often.

23. Telephone callers hang up when her husband answers.

24. She stops paying close attention to events in the family.

25. Intuition (gut feeling) tells her husband something’s wrong.

26. Her attitude towards everyone changes.

27. She speaks very softly on the phone or hangs up quickly.

28. She is “glowing.”

29. She’s disorganized.

30. She sleeps with her purse beside the bed.

31. She criticizes her husband to others.

32. The telltale sign of a cheating wife is having to ask if she’s cheating.

Use these possible reasons and signs of a cheating wife to be aware of what is happening in the marriage, possibly adultery or infidelity. Perhaps, the marriage can be saved and much heartache avoided.