How Sex Helps Alleviate Stress
With all of the negative news and statistics going viral these days, it is difficult to sometimes see through the storm. When finding toilet paper and basic staples to feed our loved ones become huge stresses in our lives, who feels relaxed or in the mood to get it on? When you are “stuck” at home for weeks on end, is having sex even on your “To Do” list? The answer, by the end of this article will be a resounding, ‘YES!” If it isn’t, I hope you add it on ASAP!
Even the word pandemic evokes fear and so many questions arise but knowing the facts and being aware of how to keep you and your family safe should ease some of the fear and allow you to enjoy this time with your family. Hopefully you can spend some quality time between the sheets with your spouse too. We need to be proactive and wash our hands well, for at least 20 seconds. Get in those nooks and crannies of your fingers, thumbs, and palms and dry them off with a clean towel. Use approved wipes and hand sanitizer and abide by the social distancing guidelines. We need to stay home when we are not doing essential activities.
Is this annoying and super inconvenient? Absolutely, but there isn’t one person in this entire world that isn’t in the same boat. We are in this together and we will get through it together.
Easing our minds and finding ways to decrease our levels of stress should be a priority for each one of us and I just happen to have a fantastic idea for you of how to do just that. HAVE SEX! HAVE A LITTLE OR HAVE A LOT! I recommend a lot but whatever works for you, do that! Sex is such a fascinating way to elevate your mood and make you feel better, allow me to explain what exactly happens in your body while you are knockin’ boots.
Sexual activity helps to maintain your blood pressure during stressful events, it reduces your stress response. This means less cortisol is released, cortisol is the stress hormone that wreaks havoc in our bodies when we are stressed out.
Sex increases the cell growth in your brain (the hippocampus) where stress is kept under control.
Sex increases endorphins and dopamine levels that boost your mood and relax your body and your mind.
Oxytocin is also released, which triggers feelings of compassion and is often referred to as the love hormone.
While in the throws of passion, we tend to breath deeper which relieves stressful feelings and a puts you in a more relaxed state.
When we are intimate with our loved one and feel emotionally connected, we feel supported which leads to lower stress levels.
Stress affects the concentration of all sex hormones because it is too busy producing cortisol and the production of our sex hormones is disrupted. To combat the stresses that we are facing the body shuts down all things sex related so that we are ready for fight or flight in order to survive the situations that life is throwing at us. It is referred to as the stress-shift in hormone production. This not only messes with ovulation and sperm production, but also sperm count, fertility and our sex drive too.
Sex helps you feel less stressed and when less stressed, we feel like having more sex! What a great lil’ bonus!
Stress can have many negative side effects on our body. When we are overwhelmed with the situations that we find ourselves we need to STOP, BREATHE, and EVALUATE. What can we do to take better care of ourselves and relieve some stress?
We can make a point to:
Get enough sleep
Eat healthy and well balanced meals
Keep a sense of humor
Spend time with friends and family
Take some me time and do something for you
Get regular physical activity (e.g. sex)
With the pandemic sweeping across the world and causing stress levels to sky rocket, it is important to take care of ourselves and our loved ones more than ever. Stress relief is vital in keeping us calm, healthy, and better equipped to handle the uncertainty of our current world. As a Clinical Sexologist, I can wholeheartedly recommend that you and your partner make time to be intimate and don’t let the fear of the unknown create distance between you. Sex is a beautiful bonding experience that will connect you and help keep your relationship with your partner alive and flourishing.