Stress does not only affect the mental stability of a person but also can affect them physically. Do you know it can gradually kill your sex life? We have listed five ways stress can affect your sex life.
- Neglected body
When you are under chronic intense stress, your body releases hormones to calm the negative effects. This secretion, however, does impact your metabolic rate.
You tend to crave unhealthy meals, yet the digestion process slows. So you deposit fat along the blood veins.
This results in weight gain and poor body shape. When you are obese, you feel bad about your physique and body image.
This situation discourages you from taking care of yourself, making the bad situation worse.
In this mood, it’s difficult to find the desire to unclothe and jump into bed. Intimacy is a physiological and psychological process.
If you aren’t feeling nice about yourself, then you can’t develop the desire to be intimate. And when you neglect yourself, your partner notices.
Either he’ll comment about it which will make you feel even worse, or hell also ignore you.
What’s more, stress prevents efficient supply of blood to all parts of your body. Hence, organs that depend on small capillaries for nutrients supply tend to suffer the most.
Unfortunately, this includes the penis. When the groin is underserved with blood, water and nutrition, its functions are likely to diminish.
Per an article on the Medical News Today, anxiety may result in difficulties getting and maintaining erections.
Both these situations end up in sex avoidance.
- Stress kills libido
Similar to metabolism, stress-calming hormones also harm the secretion of sexual chemicals.
Women tend to release estrogen, estradiol, and progesterone. Still, they also secrete a limited quantity of testosterone.
These are very instrumental in regulating the female libido. As a woman, your testosterone is what makes you crave sex.
And when you are stressed, the levels of these hormones drop as a result of your body concentrating on its effort to calm your tension.
Calming the stress involves the production of cortisol. Any time this hormone is high, the level of testosterone drops. With reduced sex hormones, so will your libido decline.
Libido itself is caused by a combination of many mental and physical attributes. You must be physically fit and mentally robust to desire sex. Experience, lifestyle, and the status of your current relationship play a role.
Stress disrupts all these conditions that instigate sexual desires.
- Stress triggers unhealthy lifestyle
It’s not surprising that most women who lead unhealthy lifestyle exhibit stress symbols. Anxiety and tension cause them to resort to drug abuse, binge drinking, and sleeplessness.
All these indulges have a serious impact on female libido. Still, moderate drinking can help to relax the tension, which could induce sexual confidence.
Studies though state that drinking more than two bottles of alcohol per day is excessive if done throughout the week. Most women consider drinking to raise their sexual pleasure.
Unfortunately, arousal, libido, and the ability to orgasm decline with high levels of alcohol in their blood.
Poor lifestyle also triggers most women to spend way too much time socializing, and party hopping. These vices interfere with the sleep pattern.
Instead of getting to bed at the ideal time they engage in a late-night binge. When they retire to bed, their bodies are too exhausted to find adequate quality sleep.
But it’s during sleep that the injured cells are repaired and the organs calm down. So sleep insomnia reduces sex drive and arousal.
And that is not all. Per an article titled “Stressed at Work? These are 5 ways in which it could affect your sex life,” your sexuality is likely to suffer from stress in other ways, too.
The Health Shot publication mentions that stress could diminish the secretion of the feel-good hormones. These are the hormones that invigorate and motivate you to look at the future with hope and resilience.
- Stress impacts fertility
A woman’s body is a delicate being. Puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, and even menopause are all controlled by various hormones.
These hormones are produced in a delicately balanced atmosphere. Yet stress disrupts this environment.
Ovulation and menstruation are fertility barometers in women. These cycles are regulated by certain nutrients.
They include folic acids, calcium, iron, and selenium. Additionally, vitamin D and zinc are equally essential in this process.
With stress, your body fails to produce sufficient levels of these vital chemicals. Besides, the pristine environment needed for the production of blood cells, and eggs are also impacted.
Fewer cells cause other issues which directly and indirectly negate fertility. They include distortion of the endocrine, digestive, and circulatory system.
From the above, you can note that stress doesn’t cause infertility in women per se. But it creates a conducive situation that interferes with your ability to properly ovulate and become pregnant.
- Fight stress
Even though stress is a disincentive to sex, you can engage in sex to eliminate its symptoms. Thus sex is a therapy that could eradicate anxiety and tension.
But you must be conscientious to perform this remedy. First, acknowledge that stress is hurting your marital life. Next is to seek your partner’s effort in remedying this situation.
Still, you are responsible for your health. Hence you must take concrete steps to eradicate stress. Stop feeling sorry for your added weight, instead, find time and make an effort to become physically active.
Find a hobby and activity to keep you busy instead of drinking and snacking. Still, eat nutritious food.
Many meals increase your libido, Try and incorporate them into your diet. They include leafy vegetables, proteins from seafood, and seeds, besides taking plenty of fruits.
You could also engage in meditation and relaxation. If your sexual performance is what’s causing stress, then you can engage in physical sensation that improves sexual performance.
Yet you shouldn’t let stress harm you in silence, as per an article on the Medical News Today. You can go to a therapist for counselling or seek solace in your favorite hobbies.
Take steps to be intimate with your boyfriend or husband. Even when you don’t feel like it, engage in sex, including sex toys, to enhance the experience.
To sum it up, five ways stress is affecting your sex life, positively or negatively, have been covered above. The provided knowledge will definitely make you learn the effects sex might have on your sexual life.
How Does Anxiety Affect Your Sex Drive?
Anxiety is a common mental health disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. It is characterized by feelings of worry, fear, and excessive unease. While anxiety can manifest in various forms and affect different aspects of one’s life, one aspect that is often overlooked is its impact on an individual’s sex drive. In this paper, we will explore the relationship between anxiety and sex drive, including how anxiety can affect one’s libido and sexual performance, as well as the possible causes and treatment options.
The Impact of Anxiety on Sex Drive
Anxiety can have a significant impact on an individual’s sex drive, leading to changes in both desire and performance. For some individuals, anxiety can decrease their sex drive, making it difficult to become aroused or interested in sexual activities. This is often due to the overwhelming feelings of worry and fear that can consume a person’s thoughts, leaving little room for sexual desire. In severe cases, individuals may even experience a complete loss of interest in sex, which can cause distress and strain in their relationships.
On the other hand, anxiety can also increase one’s sex drive. Some individuals may find that the intense feelings of anxiety can manifest as hypersexuality, leading to a heightened desire for sexual activities. This can be a coping mechanism for some individuals to distract themselves from their anxious thoughts. However, this can also lead to risky sexual behaviors and may have negative consequences on one’s physical and mental health.
Anxiety can also affect sexual performance, causing difficulties in achieving and maintaining an erection in men and difficulty reaching orgasm in women. This can be due to the physiological response of the body to anxiety, where the fight or flight response is triggered, leading to increased heart rate, muscle tension, and decreased blood flow to the genitals. These physical changes can make it challenging to engage in sexual activities and can cause frustration, embarrassment, and shame for individuals.
Causes of Anxiety and Its Impact on Sex Drive
Anxiety can be caused by various factors, such as genetics, brain chemistry, and life experiences. Likewise, the impact of anxiety on sex drive can also be influenced by these factors. For instance, individuals with a history of sexual trauma or negative experiences with sex may develop anxiety surrounding sexual activities, leading to a decrease in their libido. Moreover, certain medications used to treat anxiety, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), can also have side effects that can affect one’s sex drive and sexual function.
Additionally, the societal stigma and shame surrounding mental health and sexuality can also play a role in the impact of anxiety on sex drive. People with anxiety may feel embarrassed or ashamed to seek help for their sexual difficulties, leading to a lack of treatment and support.
Treatment Options
The good news is that anxiety and its impact on sex drive can be treated. A combination of therapy, medication, and lifestyle changes can help individuals manage their anxiety and improve their sex drive. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a commonly used therapy that helps individuals identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors that contribute to their anxiety. This can also help individuals develop coping strategies to manage their anxiety and its impact on their sex drive.
Medications, such as SSRIs, can also be prescribed to manage anxiety. However, it is essential to discuss any sexual side effects with a healthcare provider and explore alternative medications if necessary. Lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise, mindfulness techniques, and a healthy diet, can also help reduce anxiety levels and improve overall well-being.
Conclusion
In conclusion, anxiety can have a significant impact on an individual’s sex drive, causing changes in desire and sexual performance. The causes of anxiety and its impact on sex drive can be complex, and it is essential to seek professional help to address these issues. With the right treatment and support, individuals can manage their anxiety and improve their sex drive, leading to a better quality of life and healthier relationships.
