Struggling to enjoy sex like you used to? Bedroom-related issues are a growing problem (no pun intended). Up to 43% of women and 31% of men report that they experience reduced sexual desire, premature ejaculation, or painful sex.
While intimate problems are often taboo and a source of embarrassment, they are no laughing measure, affecting your intimate relationships and self-confidence.
What you may not know is that exercise could be the key to keeping the passion alive in and out of the boudoir. Read on to learn exactly how and why keeping active could give you an extra spring in your step in the bedroom.
1. Look and feel great naked
If you’re overweight and struggling to get in the mood, improving your body composition is a big win that will bring big rewards. Let’s face it, when you look and feel good, the prospect of ripping your clothes off is far more enticing. Research shows that physically fit people have a better body image than those who are less active, and this is particularly true for women. Reducing your body fat levels through diet and exercise is one of the most effective ways you can get back to feeling and looking good naked.
2. Stop stress in its tracks
No one feels like getting frisky when stressed, tired or burned out. If stress is killing your mood, you guessed it, exercise can help! Studies have shown time and again that all forms of exercise, particularly resistance training, improve your resilience to stress.
3. Get your blood pumping
One of the leading causes of sex-related issues in men and women is decreased blood flow. If you’re looking to get your heart racing in the right way, getting more active will improve your circulation through the whole body. In men, this can improve conditions such as erectile dysfunction, and for women who struggle to get fired up, improved circulation improves sensation and lubrication.
4. Build your stamina
It’s a no-brainer that it’s hard to enjoy sex if you’re constantly feeling gassed out! If you want to make sure you can keep up in the bedroom, increasing your cardiovascular capacity through exercise will ensure you can enjoy your enhanced sex drive for longer.
5. Age is just a number
You might feel like your sex drive isn’t what it used to be when you were in your twenties, but that’s no reason you can’t get your old prowess back. It’s completely normal and very common for women to struggle with achieving an orgasm and lubrication after key milestones like childbirth and menopause. All the evidence shows that physical activity is a critical and controllable strategy for improving sexual well-being after these life changes.
Likewise, exercise is crucial for men struggling with their sexual appetite through its beneficial effects on testosterone. After the age of thirty, men undergo the ‘andropause’, a steady decline in their T-levels, which can have a knock-on effect on libido. The good news is that increased physical activity is a fantastic natural testosterone booster, with resistance training being one of the most beneficial forms.
6. A healthy body means a healthy sex drive
There are proven links between metabolic diseases like diabetes and reduced sexual function. One study on women with type II diabetes found that 26% experienced reduced sexual desire, decreased vaginal lubrication, and 10% found it harder to achieve orgasm. Surprise, surprise, exercise and weight training, in particular, improve your metabolic health and acts as a natural aphrodisiac at the same time.
The take-home
If you’re lacking confidence in the bedroom or find yourself struggling to enjoy intimacy, it can be both embarrassing and frustrating. However, that doesn’t mean you have to turn to drastic measures to get your mojo back. Whether it’s heading out for some extra steps or a session in the gym, increasing your activity levels is a sure-fire way to increase your chances of success in the bedroom.
