Sex Drive Killers
Sex drive killer: Stress
You may be the kind of person who does many things well when under stress, but feeling sexy isn’t likely to be one of them. Job stress, money troubles, caring for a sick family member and other stress factors can decrease libido. To keep your stress levels under control, learn helpful stress management techniques or seek the advice of a counselor or your GP.
Sex drive killer: Relationship problems
Unresolved relationship problems are one of the most common killers of sex drive. For women in particular, emotional closeness is a major ingredient in sexual desire. Simmering arguments, poor communication, betrayal of trust and other barriers to intimacy can steer your sex drive off the road.
Sex drive killer: Alcohol
A drink or two doesn’t always put you in the mood. Alcohol famously makes you feel less inhibited about sex, but it can also numb your sex drive. And even if it doesn’t numb your sex drive, inebriation can be a turn-off for your partner. All of this goes for recreational drugs as well.
Sex drive killer: Too little sleep
If your sexual get-up-and-go is gone, perhaps you’re getting up too early or getting to bed too late. Or maybe you have insomnia or sleep apnoea. Whatever it is that’s interfering with your sleep, it’s probably also interfering with your sex drive. Too little sleep creates fatigue. Fatigue can sap sex drive.
Sex drive killer: Parenting
Parenting itself doesn’t kill sex drive, but it can be difficult to find time to be intimate when the children are under foot. Hire a baby sitter for some time to nurture your relationship. New baby in the home? Try fitting in sex during the baby’s nap time.
Sex drive killer: Medication
Medications commonly linked to libido loss include some:
- Antidepressants
- Blood pressure medications
- Antihistamines
- Oral contraceptives (some studies show a link; others don’t)
- Chemotherapy
- Anti-HIV drugs
- Prostate medication
- Hormone treatments
Changing to a different medication or different dosage may solve the problem. Other medications may affect sex drive, too. If your sex drive slowed down soon after beginning a new medication, talk to your doctor. Never stop taking a medication without consulting your doctor.
Sex drive killer: Body Image
It may be difficult to feel sexy if your self esteem suffers from poor body image. For example, feeling ashamed of being too fat (even if you’re not) may put out your love light. If your partner has these feelings, it can really help to reassure him or her that you still find him/her sexy. And there’s another side to the equation: exercise can not only enhance your self esteem, but also can boost your sex drive.
Sex drive killer: Obesity
Being overweight or obese is linked to a lack of sexual enjoyment, desire and difficulties with sexual performance. The reason isn’t clear, but may be linked to self-esteem, unsatisfactory relationships, social stigma and other psychological issues.
Sex drive killer: Low testosterone
Testosterone increases sex drive. As men age, their testosterone levels may decline slightly. Not all men lose the desire for sex when their testosterone levels drop — but some do. Testosterone is linked to sex drive in women, too. But a woman’s hormonal balance is more complex than a man’s and many factors are involved. It’s not at all clear whether testosterone therapy is as safe and effective in boosting sex drive for women as it is for men.
Sex drive killer: Depression
It doesn’t seem fair. Many antidepressants can reduce your sex drive — and so can depression. But if your sex drive has drooped, it might be a sign that you’re depressed. Clinical depression is a serious, but treatable condition.
Sex drive killer: Menopause
About half of women report reduced sex drive around the time of menopause, even though they believe it important to maintain an active sex life. Menopausal symptoms, such as vaginal dryness and pain during sex, may make sex less comfortable. But the hormonal changes of menopause are only part of the picture. An ageing woman concerned about her sex drive should also consider the quality of her relationship, her body image and self esteem, medication she is taking and her physical health.
Sex drive killer: Too little intimacy
Sex without intimacy is a sex-drive killer. Intimacy isn’t just a code word for sex. If your sex life is going nowhere, try spending more non-sexualintimate time together – alone. Talk, cuddle, trade massages. Learn to express affection without having to have sex. As intimacy builds, so does sex drive.
9 Ways To Improve Your Sex Drive
- Get regular exercise – Men who live a “couch potato” lifestyle may soon find themselves with sexual problems. By “getting up and moving” you will be taking an active role in maintaining your sexual health. Check with your physician, and then start a program of regular exercise that includes walking, cycling, tennis or whatever you find enjoyable.
- Stop smoking – Many doctors agree that smoking can be a major cause of sexual dysfunction in men. Studies have found that a major of men who suffer from ED are smokers, and that smoking can also reduce sperm count and quality. Smoking damages the small arteries that feed blood to the penis, making it difficult at times to maintain an erection.
- Reduce your alcohol intake – While you may enjoy the buzz you feel when you drink alcoholic beverages, you are putting yourself at risk for ED. Alcohol may make you feel sexier by lowering inhibitions, but it also reduces libido, causes erection problems, and often times impairs the ability to have an orgasm.
- Learn to manage stress in your life – Stress can leave you feeling exhausted, worried, uptight and very nervous, and can also lead to sexual problems as well. If you allow stress to manage your life, instead of the other way around, your life will soon feel as if it is out of control. Learn stress management techniques, find ways to handle anger and sadness, and you will be doing your part to maintain your sexual health (and your sanity).
- Do Kegel exercises – Usually associated with women, Kegel exercises can increase sexual enjoyment in men as well. Kegels are a way to strengthen the muscles that connect the base of the penis with the tailbone. These muscles act to control the flow of fluids through the urethra, so by learning how to control them, you can delay ejaculation to heighten your orgasm. To learn how these muscles feel, try stopping the flow of urine the next time you urinate. These are the muscles you need to tighten, so to do Kegels, just squeeze the muscles, hold them for a few seconds, and then relax them. By contracting these muscles, you gradually build up their strength, and your pleasure.
- Use lubricants – As men grow older, they often experience a gradual loss of sensitivity in their penis. Lubricants can help men with this problem to gain a freer range of motion, and increase sexual enjoyment.
- Have a yearly check-up with your doctor – It is no secret that men do not like going to the doctor, but if you want to maintain your overall (and sexual) health, you should make sure that you have a physical at least once a year.
- Avoid illegal substances – Unfortunately, some men will take illegal drugs to get high, thinking that it will enhance their sexual experience. But it most cases, it has the opposite effect. If you want to avoid ED, then avoid illegal substances.
- Maintain a positive attitude – Medical studies prove that men who have a positive attitude towards life also enjoy a problem free sex life as well. So, adjust your attitude to a positive one, and enjoy the benefits!