Experiencing sexual issues in the bedroom can be both frustrating and embarrassing, but it’s important to remember that you’re not alone. Struggling with sexual performance is a perfectly normal occurrence. In fact, over 30% of men have difficulty during sex from time to time, which is known as sexual dysfunction.
The most common types of sexual problems include lack of desire, inability to gain or maintain an erection, and orgasms occurring too quickly, too slowly, or not at all.
If any of these have happened to you, don’t worry, there are a few simple things that you can do to resolve the situation and get back to having great sex. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know.
1. Get Active
If we want to stay healthy and minimize the risk of erectile dysfunction and other sexual performance issues, staying active is a must. It doesn’t take hours in the gym to get to where you need to be, either.
Health organizations such as the CDC and the American Heart Association recommend 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity. Broken down, this comes out to half an hour a day, five days a week. Keep in mind this is a minimum, more is almost always better.
Maintaining a healthy level of physical activity will help you stay at a healthy weight and keep your heart strong, both of which can make problems with male sexual performance a thing of the past.
If you like the idea of hitting the gym after work, go for it! But don’t force yourself into an activity you dread, this will only make exercise more difficult. The trick is to choose an activity that you view as a treat rather than a chore.
Take your dog for a walk in the evenings, go for a swim after work, or find a few at-home yoga routines online. There’s no wrong choice, anything that gets your body moving is the right way to go.
2. Improve Your Diet
Another great way to stay at a healthy weight and maintain heart health, thereby reducing sexual issues, is to improve your diet. The food you use to fuel your body affects every aspect of your health, including your sexual health. And consuming too many processed foods can contribute to erectile dysfunction.
The good news is, the adverse effects of a bad diet are reversible. All you have to do is swap unhealthy choices with whole, nutrient-dense foods. When you’re in the grocery store, choose foods with little to no ingredients. For example, salmon, bananas, and broccoli don’t have ingredients – they are ingredients!
Focus on fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy carbs and fats. You’ll be amazed by the effect it has on your overall health and sexual performance.
3. Focus on Mental Health
It happens to the best of us. We struggle with sexual performance once, and the next time we’re getting intimate, we think about the first time and because of the anxiety around the incident, it happens again.
Your mental health has a greater effect on your physical health and sexual performance than you might think. By taking steps to improve your mental health, you’ll not only be able to perform better but you’ll feel aroused more often as well.
What makes you feel grateful and centered? Make time for that activity every day, whether it be taking a walk, making a gratitude list, or journaling.
4. Quit Unhealthy Habits
Are you a smoker? When you drink, do you sometimes do so to excess? Unhealthy habits such as these can have a serious impact on both female and male sexual performance.
Smoking weakens your heart, which in turn makes it more difficult to achieve and maintain an erection. Heavy drinking has the same effect in the long-term, but can also affect your performance in the short term, as it dulls your senses.
There’s nothing wrong with the occasional drink, but keep it to a minimum. As for smoking, it’s best to quit as soon as possible. Reach out for help if you need to, but the negative effects of smoking are too much to ignore.
5. Work on Communication
Sometimes, the source of your sexual issues isn’t with your body but your relationship. If you and your partner are going through a rough patch or aren’t the best in terms of communication, your sexual performance could suffer.
Remember, if your mental health is suffering, your sex life is going to suffer as well. You might not even realize that your relationship isn’t in the best place, but poor communication can lead to an unfulfilling sex life.
It’s not enough to work on your health and take additional steps to learn how to reduce penis sensitivity and resolve other issues if your relationship isn’t healthy. Talking candidly can be awkward at first, but the more you do it, the better you’ll get at it.
Sit down with your partner and discuss your problems, whether between the sheets or in general. If you feel that you could use the help of a therapist, don’t be afraid to make that call.
Improve Your Sex Life by Overcoming Your Sexual Issues
Experiencing sexual issues can be a discouraging experience, especially if it’s never happened to you before. But more often than not, taking steps to improve your physical and mental health, as well as strengthen your relationship, is enough to resolve the problem.
Now, if you make an honest effort with the above tips and are still having trouble, reach out to your doctor. Persistent problems with sexual performance can indicate a more serious underlying condition.
Looking for more tips and tricks for improving your sex life? Be sure to check out our blog!
