In case heart health, weight control, mood enhancement and countless other benefits of exercise aren’t enough to get you moving, perhaps learning that better physical fitness leads to better sex will do the trick. Allow me to explain:
1. Exercise increases stamina, strength and flexibility.
Stamina, strength and flexibility are not only the cornerstones of a well-balanced fitness routine, but also of a quality sex life. Many people experience muscle pain or fatigue during sex, especially in the core, hip flexors and chest, but strength training targeting these areas can help prevent that. Lifting weights can also increase levels of testosterone, the primary driver of the male sex drive that affects women too. Mix in some cardio or even yoga to enhance your stamina and flexibility, and you’ll have a well-rounded program that’s sure to boost your sex life.
[See: What Only Your Partner Knows About Your Health.]
2. Exercise boosts self-esteem.
Have shyness and self-consciousness prevented you from having the sex life you crave? Enter exercise, a habit that inevitably leads to self-confidence both in and out of the bedroom. Feeling better about yourself and your appearance means you will be more relaxed and less self-conscious during sex, and may cause you to be more comfortable flirting and initiating sexual experiences.
3. Exercise gets the blood flowing.
Exercise strengthens the cardiovascular system and improves circulation — essential elements of sexual function. Of course, certain health-related behaviors can adversely affect circulation, including smoking and heavy alcohol use, but exercising regularly has been shown to have an even greater impact on circulation than quitting smoking or drinking (though that’s no excuse to continue puffing and chugging).
Improved blood flow can also help alleviate the symptoms of erectile dysfunction. Performing aerobic (or cardio) exercise each day, even if it’s simply walking quickly for a couple of miles, can significantly lower your risk of erectile dysfunction. Similarly, exercise has been shown to lessen the symptoms of an enlarged prostate — commonly called BPH or benign prostatic hyperplasia — which can put a damper on men’s libido.
4. Exercise is an antidepressant.
Depression can have detrimental effects on all aspects of your life, and your sex life is no exception. To make matters worse, many antidepressant medications have detrimental sexual side effects. The good news is that regular exercise — specifically, a combination of cardio and strength-training — can be a powerful way to counter not only the depression itself, but also the negative sex-related side effects of antidepressants. Exercise is clearly an essential lifestyle choice for anyone battling depression, as it provides benefits in terms of physical, mental and sexual health.
[See: 11 Simple, Proven Ways to Optimize Your Mental Health.]
The ways in which exercise can improve your sex life are as numerous as the ways it can positively impact your overall health because the two are inextricably linked. For example, if you’re too tired to get through your typical day, you’re probably not going to have the energy to initiate sex when you finally find your way into bed. If you are overweight or out of shape, your self-esteem and feelings of attractiveness and desirability may suffer. If you find yourself too physically exhausted or if you experience acute pain or discomfort during a sexual encounter, you probably won’t truly enjoy it enough to seek it out again.
Fortunately, a well-rounded exercise program that features strength, cardio and flexibility training will improve your self-esteem, immune system, cardiovascular health, weight and energy levels — both in and out of bed. For added sexual benefits, try incorporating pelvic floor muscle training, or Kegel exercises, into your routine too. The method, which has long been used by women in preparation for childbirth and to regain muscle tone after delivery, can also be practiced by men. Simply tighten your pelvic floor muscles (the ones you use to cut off the flow of urine) for a count of 10 and then relax the muscles for five to 10 seconds. Do as many as you can before reaching fatigue and try to build up to doing 10 to 20 repetitions three times a day. Maintaining this routine will not only help alleviate erectile dysfunction, but also improve the overall sexual experience.
[See: 7 Exercises Men Should Do Every Day.]
Man or woman, old or young, it seems the key to a healthy libido and improved sexual performance may be found at the gym, on the hiking trails, in a yoga class or simply on the sidewalks of your community. So get moving: Your love life is waiting.
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Why Fit People Make Better Lovers originally appeared on usnews.com
