Glossy mags and TV soaps may give the impression everyone is constantly at it, but could they be wrong?<\/p>\n
\u201cA drop in sex drive isn\u2019t always a problem,\u201d says social psychologist Dr Petra Boynton, drpetra.co.uk. \u201cSex drive naturally fluctuates and if you\u2019re happy having sex occasionally \u2013 or even not at all \u2013 that\u2019s fine. But it can be a problem for couples when there are mismatched expectations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Want to lift your libido? Then follow our guide…<\/p>\n
Just think of the health benefits sex provides<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019ve gone off sex , it\u2019s worth \u00adrekindling an interest if only for the health benefits. \u201cOrgasm stimulates production of the body\u2019s natural killer cells, which fight infection, boost immunity and even offer some \u00adprotection against cancer,\u201d says \u00adpsychotherapist Marisa Peer, author of You Can Be Younger.<\/p>\n \u201cYou also release oxytocin, dubbed the love hormone, which boosts mood, \u00adalleviates stress and reinforces the bond between you and your partner.\u201d<\/p>\n Chill out<\/strong><\/p>\n High levels of the stress hormone cortisol can lower sex drive, says the Society for Endocrinology. Set aside five minutes a day for relaxation. Try the Mental Health Foundation\u2019s free podcasts at mentalhealth.org.uk.<\/p>\n Ditch the cigs<\/strong><\/p>\n Smoking damages arteries, affecting circulation. It affects a man\u2019s ability to get and maintain an erection and impedes men\u2019s and women\u2019s ability to orgasm, says Dr Michael Roizen, author of The Real Age Makeover. To quit, visit nhs.uk\/smokefree.<\/p>\n Get fitter<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cStudies have shown women who exercise frequently experience an increase in speed of arousal and \u00adintensity of orgasms,\u201d says Relate \u00adcounsellor and psychosexual therapist Denise Knowles.<\/p>\n Aim for at least five half-hour sessions a week of moderate exercise like brisk walking or three 25-minute sessions of vigorous aerobic exercise.<\/p>\n Sort your sleep out<\/strong><\/p>\n Men who had less than five hours of sleep a night for a week had reduced levels of testosterone, the libido hormone, a study in Chicago found. Not enough zzzzs also makes men and women grumpy \u2013 not an aphrodisiac!<\/p>\n Keep a diary<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cRecord everything for a week \u2013 how much sleep you got, whether you exercised, what you ate, if you were stressed and how you and your partner got on. Then you can see what may be getting in the way,\u201d says Dr Boynton.<\/p>\n Get talking<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019re rushed off your feet all day and flop in front of the TV every night, you may feel emotionally distanced from your partner, leading to a drop off in sex. \u201cThink what would make your relationship more enjoyable, regardless of sex, then share that with your partner,\u201d says Dr Boynton.<\/p>\n Love your body<\/strong><\/p>\n Women who see themselves as \u00adunattractive are more likely to report a drop in sexual desire with age, according to a study from Penn State University, US, on women aged from 35 to 55. So Dr Boynton says: \u201cConcentrate on what you like about your body and remember that you\u2019re almost certainly your own worst critic.\u201d<\/p>\n Consider a quickie<\/strong><\/p>\n Too busy? According to Marisa Peer, satisfying sex need only take 10 minutes. \u201cGet out of your routine, try a different time of day, a different room, watch a sexy film or try role play,\u201d she suggests. And don\u2019t wait till you\u2019re in the mood. \u201cIf you\u2019re not interested to begin with, once you get started, the chances are you soon will be.\u201d<\/p>\n Tone up down there<\/strong><\/p>\n A third of new mums and half of \u00admenopausal women have a weakened pelvic floor \u2013 the muscles that support the uterus, bladder and bowel. Besides leading to accidental urine leakage, it also reduces sexual sensation.<\/p>\n \u201cStrengthening the pelvic floor improves blood flow, improving the intensity and frequency of orgasm,\u201d says Barry Fowler, manufacturer of the Pelvic Toner, the only device for stress incontinence available on the NHS, \u00a329.99 plus postage. Visit iwabo.co.uk or call 0117 974 3534.<\/p>\n Resolve niggles<\/strong><\/p>\n Unresolved resentment can lead to sex problems, says Denise Knowles. \u201cI often see couples where one partner doesn\u2019t realise they\u2019re withholding sex because they feel resentful about something \u2013 perhaps doing more than their share of the housework. Talking is key to addressing these issues.\u201d Counselling service Relate offers a free online live chat, visit relate.org.uk .<\/p>\n Check your meds<\/strong><\/p>\n Certain medications, including some antidepressants and contraceptive pills, can affect libido. If you think this affects you, talk to your GP, who may be able to prescribe an alternative.<\/p>\n Have an MOT<\/strong> \u201cDiabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease all affect the circulatory system and can make erections more difficult in men and orgasm more difficult in women,\u201d says Denise Knowles. \u201cUnderactive thyroid, \u00admenopause, stress and depression can all lower libido,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Source: Mirror UK<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Glossy mags and TV soaps may give the impression everyone is constantly at it, but could they be wrong? \u201cA drop in sex drive isn\u2019t always a problem,\u201d says social psychologist Dr Petra Boynton, drpetra.co.uk. \u201cSex drive naturally fluctuates and if you\u2019re happy having sex occasionally \u2013 or even not at all \u2013 that\u2019s fine. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[51],"class_list":["post-83131","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","tag-ports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83131","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=83131"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83131\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=83131"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=83131"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=83131"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nIf you\u2019ve tried all these with no result, see your GP to rule out conditions that could affect your sex drive.<\/p>\n