Dr. Suruchi Chaube Md(am)

If you are suffering from excessive stress, it is likely that your physical and emotional health may be affected. Your sexual life too is affected due to stress. Too much of stress leaves you physically tired and exhausted. Because of this, you will not have enough energy to have sex. Moreover, when you are stressed out about some issue, your libido gets affected, and you might not have any interest in having sex.

Effects of stress on your sexual life

1. Stress results in a negative body image. The hormones which are associated with stress may impact metabolism. With the increase in the production of these stress hormones, you may feel sluggish and gain weight, thereby providing a negative body image due to which you might not have the desire to indulge in sexual activity. Stress causes lowered self-esteem which results in less sex.
2. Stress results in reduced libido. The hormones associated with stress are required by the body in small amounts, but the overproduction of these hormones can suppress sexual hormones, leading to decreased libido.
3. Extreme stress may affect personal relationships and cause conflicts between a couple. This will result in rare sexual activity as proper communication between a couple gets reduced.
4. You may start drinking excessively because of stress. Too much alcohol is bad for sexual health. It makes sex dull and less pleasurable. Alcohol causes dehydration, which affects lubrication. Stress also affects a person’s fertility and menstruation cycle, which could hamper your sex life.

Ayurvedic treatment for stress
Ayurveda offers effective treatments to get rid of stress. By using natural and herbal Ayurvedic medicines, you can get rid of unnecessary stress from your life and revive your sexual life. Here are some effective Ayurvedic treatments for getting rid of stress:

1. Several Ayurvedic herbs are stress reducing in nature. You can use herbs such as ashwagandha, bala, brahmi, gotu kola, saraswati churna, vacha, tulsi, shankapushpi, Siberian ginseng, liquorice, vidari and shatavari.
2. You should consume food items, which help in reducing stress. These include coconut, walnut, mangoes, pineapples and bananas, fried in ghee.
3. Several natural drinks can help in relieving stress. These include tomato juice, ginger tea, garlic milk, and tulsi tea.
4. You should practice stress relieving activities such as yoga and meditation. Several yoga asanas in different poses should be practiced.
5. You can try several stress relieving Ayurvedic therapies. These may include Shirodhara (bliss therapy), Abhyanga (warm oil massage), Shiro Abhyanga and Nasya (head massage).

Ayurveda helps in controlling stress. A combination of several benefits known as Panchakarma is provided by Ayurveda for reducing stress. Reduced stress will drastically improve your sexual performance and sexual stamina. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a ayurveda and ask a free question.