Sex is a great form of exercise — on average, women burn approximately 3.6 calories per minute during the average sex session — and doing the deed regularly can help you feel more confident and happy. Sometimes, however, the daily grind can make sex less of a priority, and couples often find that they are disconnected because they aren’t being intimate with their partner often enough.
Sexual health positively contributes to your overall health and well-being. It’s important to find ways to make it even better than it already is — one way is to hit the gym. Research shows that those who exercise regularly have sex more often and get turned on more frequently. You’re probably wondering how this is possible. Here’s how exercise can contribute to your sexual health.
1. Amp up your confidence.
Exercising a few times a week and achieving your fitness goals has a profound effect on your mental health and self-confidence. Regular exercise not only helps you feel stronger and more in tune with your body, but you’ll also feel less self-conscious. Good sex is all about being in a positive mindset. Feeling good about yourself will allow you to focus less on how you look and more on the connection with your partner.
2. Exercise puts you in the mood.
Several studies show that after a woman works out, she is more likely to be in the mood. The release of endorphins that occurs when you exercise stimulates the release of sex hormones, which amp up your sex drive when you get back from the gym. Also, exercising improves blood flow, which allows for a faster and more sustainable arousal. Then, once you start having sex more often because of this increased desire, it will become a part of your routine and you’ll finally break out of that rut.
3. Stress relief.
Nothing kills the desire for sex more than being stressed about all the things you have going on in your life. In fact, according to a recent survey, 39.2% of women say that stress is the most prevalent factor that negatively affects their sex life. Feeling stressed out prompts your body to release cortisol, which lowers your libido, affecting your ability to perform in the bedroom, and can close you off from your partner.
Relationships also suffer when we experience stress because it can contribute to poor communication or picking fights with each other for no reason, which in turn will make you feel less connected during sex or stall your sex life altogether. Working out is a great way to combat stress because it makes your body releases endorphins, which lower anxiety and elevate your mood and self-confidence. Exercise also conditions the body for high-intensity exercise and increases in heart rate and breathing — while also improving blood flow, mobility, flexibility, and endurance, all of which can lower anxiety, stress, and risk of depression.
4. Work hard, play hard.
A survey conducted by Wakefield Research shows that 66% of couples who work out together have more sex. Working out with your partner makes you feel like you are taking on a challenge together as a team, which in turn will translate to a better connection and communication in the bedroom. As you both get more confident, you’ll find yourselves in the mood more often, especially when showering after your sweaty gym session.
A good sex life is just as important for your health as eating right, getting enough sleep, and being active. Focusing on improving your fitness can have tremendous benefits on the frequency and quality of the sex you have and make you more in tune with your mind and body.