Love and Lust: 8 Healthy Ways to Spice Up Your Sex Life
If your sex life is more fizzle than sizzle, you’re not alone. According to the Kinsey Sex Institute, the average 18 to 29-year-old has sex 142 times a year. Between the ages of 30 to 39, we’re having sex around 86 times a year. By the time we pass 50, that number drops to just 52 times a year. But you needn’t simply accept this decline, thanks to these healthy ways to spice up your sex life.
Talk About Sex
Few things are as intimate for a woman as a deep and meaningful conversation. So if you want some intimate time with yours, opening up might be the key. Talking about sex is a great way to share expectations and desires.
You might even learn that your partner has a few kinks you never knew about! Sexologists agree that sexual fantasies are a healthy outlet in any committed relationship, so long as you don’t rely on them for arousal. Sharing desires can help you decide whether you want to act on them or keep them in your head.
Communicating about sex doesn’t have to be all about those long, intense conversations, either. A steamy text message or e-mail is a great way to put sex back on the menu.
Start Working Out
Finding the time to exercise won’t just help you tone up and drop your spare tire; it’ll also improve your sex life. Working out gets your blood pumping to every area of the body, and that includes the genital region. This increases sensation once you get down to business.
Exercise also activates the same feel-good chemicals that course through the body during a steamy encounter, which improves sexual response. The University of Texas proved this when they asked women to watch an X-rated film twice. The first time the test subjects did an intense cycling workout for 20 minutes before seeing the blue movie, the second was without the exercise. Researchers found sexual response was 169 percent greater after a work-out!
Sweating it out will also boost your self-confidence and energy levels, so you won’t feel too tired to connect in the bedroom. Consider a couples workout session to stay motivated and bond before getting down to business.
Go on Dates
It’s disappointing to discover that most couples have sex more than four times a week while they’re dating, and just once a week once they tie the knot. It seems that the longer you’re together, the less likely you are to get it on. Perhaps the key to spicing up your sex life is to return to that early mindset.
Think about the activities you enjoyed as a new couple and bring them back into your life. Perhaps you enjoyed scuba diving together or dancing in the clubs. Whatever it was, having fun together as you once did should help you fall in love with your partner all over again and rediscover your sexual spark.
Enjoy Healthy Aphrodisiacs
A thick, juicy steak and a bottle of wine might be the classic romantic dinner, but it’s not doing your sex life any favors. Studies show eating meat increases the risk of erectile dysfunction and alcohol reduces sexual sensitivity.
Instead, create a romantic menu which uses healthier aphrodisiacs. Women respond to asparagus, avocado, and artichokes, while men go wild for mangoes, pumpkin, and cayenne pepper. Use ginger and basil liberally, as these get both genders in the mood.
Get Out of the Bedroom
With studies showing just a third of adults get enough sleep, it’s little wonder that many of us start snoring the moment our heads hit the pillow. If you find the only action your bedroom sees is in your dreams, it might be time to switch up your location.
It’s worth noting that while common, public sex is still illegal in many parts of the world. However, you needn’t be an exhibitionist to enjoy the novelty of a new location. Turning up the heat in your kitchen or getting down and dirty in a hotel room can put some spice back in your sex life.
Get Busy Around the House
It doesn’t seem like there’s a lot that’s sexy about housework, but studies show men who do more household chores and spend more time caring for their children have better sex lives than lazier lads. Putting the spice back into your sex life could be as simple as picking up the vacuum cleaner!
It makes sense that when men pitch-in around the home, women feel more respected and more connected to their partners. That pays real dividends in the bedroom. Housework has real health benefits too. Making beds for half an hour burns 130 calories, the same as jogging on a treadmill for 15 minutes. Cleaning windows for the same amount of time burns 125 calories, around the same as that burned in a one-hour yoga class.
Face Up to Underlying Problems
“Sexual dysfunction can be the result of many issues, including depression, hormone levels, fatigue or psychological disorders, which can seriously harm the self-esteem of both partners,” explains Brett McCann, an Australian counsellor specializing in sexual health.
It can be difficult to face up to problems like these, but doing so is the first step to putting the spice back into your sex life. A professional therapist can help you identify problems you’re having and guide you towards finding a solution. Taking care of your mental health will affect all areas of your life, including your sexual satisfaction.
Reach for the Viagra
If all else fails, it might be time to put your trust in the little blue pill. Viagra has spearheaded a sexual revolution for men struggling to maintain a satisfying sex life. Purchasing Viagra can be confronting, but you can buy it discretely from trusted online outlets including Canadian Pharmacy Meds.
Older stars like Michael Douglas and Jack Nicholson have celebrated the new lease on life Viagra’s provided, but men of all ages struggling with impotence can benefit from its powers. The drug’s proven particularly effective in helping prostate cancer patients combat erectile dysfunction.
So don’t just accept a sexual slump. No matter what your age, there are plenty of healthy ways to spice up your sex life.