If you’re not happy with your sex life, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many adults go through periods of frustration, difficulty, or miscommunication with partners when it comes to physical intimacy. It’s been reported that the current generation is having less sex overall than prior decades. So it’s not just you that’s in a rut. Luckily, there are many ways you can take back control of your pleasure in order to lead a more fulfilled sex life.
With manageable shifts to your routine and habits, you can improve your pleasure and performance. Here are just four of the lifestyle changes that you can adopt today in order to enjoy better sex for the long term.
Exercise regularly
A lack of exercise can have many different impacts on your sex life, especially on your libido and performance. Failing to manage your stress and putting on extra weight can disrupt natural hormone levels and ultimately lower your sex drive. It can also negatively impact fertility. Poor cardiovascular fitness has also been shown to shorten the duration of sex and cause premature ejaculation in men.
If you notice issues arising in the bedroom, reevaluate your fitness levels; adding just a few sessions of jogging and stretching to your weekly routine can improve your fitness and sexual performance. If you, or your partner, need help in the meantime, however, consider pairing your new workout routine with Kegel exercises, a premature ejaculation medication, or a doctor consultation to help control climaxes and lengthen your sexual experience.
Get more sleep
Irregular sleep patterns can wreak havoc on your life in many ways: drastically lowering energy levels, increasing stress, and affecting natural hormone levels. These issues can make it difficult to get in the mood or perform, increasing chances of low libido and vaginal dryness. In fact, with every lost hour of sleep comes a 14% decrease in likelihood of having sex.
If you’re not getting the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep a night, you should begin working to lengthen your sleep duration in order to improve your sex life. Consider using stress-relieving techniques before bedtime, like yoga, meditation, stretching, or reading. These should help lower your heart rate and make it easier to fall asleep. If these don’t help improve your sleep, you should speak with a doctor about possible sleep studies to determine the root of the cause, as well as a medication to boost your libido. Combining these methods should help improve your intimate health and boost your sex drive.
Limit your drinking
Alcohol consumption (as well as drug use) has been linked to poor performance in the bedroom. Alcohol is a depressant and can heighten anxiety, a combination that doesn’t bode well for sex. It can cause erectile dysfunction, difficulty reaching orgasm, or general lack of desire. Additionally, long-term abuse of alcohol or drugs can cause serious health issues that can have their own sexual repercussions, like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
While one or two glasses of red wine may actually be fairly healthy, it’s important to know your limits to keep yourself safe and healthy. When getting together with friends or dates, consider suggesting hangouts that don’t depend on alcohol. Or, try limiting yourself to a certain amount of drinks and working with a friend to hold yourself accountable. If you still find yourself struggling with alcohol use, reach out to a counselor or a support group that can help guide your recovery.
An unsatisfying sex life can be extremely frustrating but doesn’t have to be permanent. Use these suggestions to take back control of your intimate life through regular, healthier lifestyle choices.