Sexual Health isn’t just about avoiding sexually transmitted diseases or unplanned pregnancies. It’s also about experiencing intimacy and pleasure with your partner.Believe it or not, there’s 5 things you can do for better sex. According to the World Health Organisation, Sexual Health can affect your physical, emotional, mental and social well-being for better of for worse.

5 Things You Need to Do for Better Sex

Whether you’re single or dating someone, there’s nothing worse than not being in the mood. Late nights, hectic days, stress and other factors all play a part in how we feel, which affects our libido. So before you ditch your new partner for a lack of action in the bedroom, here are 5 top tips for caring for your sexual health, and ensuring it’s running at optimum!

1.Protect yourself

Understanding your body and being proactive about your sexual health is the first step to protecting yourself. Ladies, make sure to set up a yearly appointment with your gynaecologist.  This appointment is crucial as it’s intended to check for any abnormalities or possible STIs. Detecting these issues early on can often prevent serious problems from developing.

If having children is not an option right now there are a variety of effective contraception methods to choose from. For years, birth control pills were and still are a very popular form of contraception. Fast forward a couple years, women now have easy access to affordable options and can choose the best one for their lifestyle. This is all thanks to telemedicine which is solving some of the biggest healthcare problems we’re noticing today.

Keep in mind, birth control methods will not protect you from any STIs. In this case, you will want to still use a male or female condom along with the birth control method that you choose.

2. Communication with partner

It’s important to know that you have choices when it comes to sex. Don’t feel pressured to do anything you aren’t comfortable with. Opening up to your partner and communicating your concerns is key to having a healthy relationship and overall sexual health. Your partner should respect you and your decisions.

Talking to your doctor about your sexual health is just as important as communicating with your partner. Having a conversation with a doctor about sex is a big hurdle for most people to get over so there’s no need to feel alone in this. Doctors are bound by law to keep your personal information confidential. If you’re having issues, don’t be afraid to talk to your doctor.  They are the perfect person to help you work through these issues and hopefully find a permanent solution.

3. Increase your libido

The older we get the harder some of us have to work to maintain a healthy sex drive. Are you someone that couldn’t wait to get home to rip off your partner’s clothes but suddenly have no desire to? There are many factors that can negatively affect the sex drive in both men and women. Women will experience a more mental and physical issue causing pain during sex, dryness, and little to no interest in sexual activity.

There are various methods to treat someone with low libido. One method that works for both men and women is making serious lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise, and getting enough sleep. However, when it comes to treating low sex drive men have 26 options available to them while women only have one prescribed medical option called Addyi.

4. Get enough rest

Getting enough shut-eye every night has so many benefits. Our bodies need sleep for pretty much everything. Want great skin? Get more sleep. Want to be less stressed? Get more sleep. Want to have a better/healthier sex life? Get more sleep.

Lack of sleep for males:

• Lowers testosterone
• Causes erectile dysfunction

Lack of sleep with women:

• Negatively affect the natural lubrication
• Causes sexual distress

5. Eat healthy and stay active

Studies have shown that changing your diet and being more active could be small lifestyle changes to help increase your libido. The following foods are packed with the nutrients that you need to improve your overall health and boost your libido:

• Dark Chocolate- releases endorphins that will improve your mood making you happier and more interested in sex.
• Watermelon- is known to release amino acids and arginine which is responsible for vascular health. This refreshing fruit will naturally improve your erection and libido.
• Oysters- known as the aphrodisiac and raises testosterone and oestrogen levels.

To learn more about foods you can add to your diet, Healthline shared 7 Foods to Help Boost Your Sex Life.
Exercise is also known to improve both physical and psychological health. A study showed that the more fit you’re the more you will desire sex. We aren’t saying you need to do CrossFit or any intense workout. Adding in some basic exercise like going for a walk or a bike ride could vastly improve your sex life and boost your overall mood. Consider a yoga class if you want to focus on core muscles, posture, and flexibility!

The post 5 Things You Need To Do For Better Sex appeared first on Urbansocial Dating Blog.