Libidos fluctuate over the course of a person’s life. But, have faith! There are ways to help get your sex drive flowing again.
Many times, a dip in libido is due to external factors, such as stress or medication. Internally, it could be a hormonal imbalance. Which is why this issue should also be discussed with your physician.
However, there are a few recommendations that have worked with my own patients and some may help improve your sexual desire as well.
5 Ways to Boost Your Sexual Desire:
- Begin and end every day with a hug. US News has reported it has been clinically proven that hugging your partner for just 30 seconds three times a day increases your passion and intimacy by five times! Hugging has also been found to increase oxytocin, the “happy hormone” and lower stress and blood pressure.
- Keep a journal. Sometimes a simple daily reminder of why your life with your partner is amazing can be just what’s needed to revive emotional feelings. I suggest writing in a personal journal each day. Include what you are grateful for, why you are grateful for your partner, what you love about your partner, and why you enjoy sex with your partner. Research has found that practicing gratitude can enhance overall emotional and physical well-being.
- Make out. Plan for a weekly make-out session with the goal of bringing more intimacy to your lives. Even if the making-out leads nowhere, getting close to one another with light sex play can be beneficial to your relationship.
- Try something new once a week. Grab your partner and try something new. It could be a new restaurant, a new sport, a poetry reading, visiting an art gallery, taking a hike on a different trail, or trying Baskin Robbin’s ice cream flavor of the month. Whatever it is, big or small, try something new together to refresh feelings and can give you and your partner new subjects to discuss together.
Science recommends doing things together that ramp up your adrenaline. Psych Your Mind reports that sharing an exciting experience, such as watching a scary movie, sky diving, or scuba diving, can bring couples closer.
According to Huffington Post, most people very rarely try something new. But, research by Science Daily has found that new experiences trigger the release of dopamine, a type of neurotransmitter that plays a role in how we feel pleasure. Dopamine also motivates people to continue wanting to try more new things! So, you can see how trying something new and enjoying it can make a couple want to try more new sexual experiences and this may ultimately help increase sex drives.
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Have an affair with yourself. It’s important to find time to seduce yourself. Plan for warm, relaxing baths and scented lotion that you lovingly rub on your body. Wear lingerie and pretty underthings just because you will know they’re there. Doing these things can help you feel sexier on the inside, which in turn will make you feel sexier on the outside.
I recommend preparing yourself as if you’ll be having sex later. Find time to masturbate and thoroughly enjoy whatever pleasure personally turns you on – erotic stories, new sex toys, or your healthy imagination. Don’t forget to tell yourself how beautiful and desirable you are. Do things to make you feel as desirable possible to yourself. All of these will add up and can positively influence your perception of yourself, leading to healthy self-esteem as well as boosting your sexual desire.
While those are five easy ways you can up your sex drive, I have some additional suggestions to share with you that may come in handy in your quest for a healthier sex drive.
Sleep Well
Stress can be intensified by lack of sleep. Sleep is crucial for overall health and is important for a good sex life because it reduces stress and keeps your immune system healthy. While 8 hours a night is preferable, power napping is another option. Sleep can boost energy and in turn, your sex drive.
Exercise More
Regular exercise can increase your stamina, which can help improve your sex life. Routine physical exercise can cause the release of hormones and trigger physiological reactions that boost your libido and self-confidence.
Your emotional awareness of being healthy can give you a better outlook on your life, translating into a more fulfilling sex life. Exercise can also increase blood flow, which naturally leads to enhanced circulation to genital areas.
Try Supplements
B-complex vitamins, vitamin E, L-arginine, and zinc have been shown to enhance blood flow, increase libido, as well as keep the reproductive system in good working order.
Eat Chocolate
A study by the South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition found chocolate promotes the release of phenylethylamine and serotonin into your body, which can create aphrodisiac and mood-lifting effects.
Meditate
A study published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine found meditation can significantly improve sex drive!
If you’re new to meditation, there are useful app’s, such as Headspace, that can teach you and lead you through meditation sessions.
Spice Things Up
There’s a reason ‘hotel sex’ is so popular! Having sex in different locations other than just your bedroom can heighten excitement.
If that isn’t an option, I suggest trying a different sexual position or trying new couple’s toys. Making your sex play unique can restore passion.
Find what works best for you.
Whatever reason you may be experiencing low desire, there are steps you can take to amp your sexual feelings. Try a few of these suggestions and see what happens.
But please don’t put pressure on yourself, which could have a negative effect. I recommend starting with the ‘5 Ways’ and seeing the positive effects that those can bring to your own libido.
Are you dealing with a low sex drive? Are there solutions that have worked for you? Please share your stories with me! And if you have any questions, I’m always here to help.
