High blood pressure and sex

High blood pressure is a condition in which the pressure of the blood against the artery wall is high enough to cause health problems, including heart disease. No symptoms may be noticed in a person for years but the damage to the blood vessels and to your heart continues. High blood pressure can have an impact on your sex life. Although sexual activity does not lead to any possible threats to your health but high blood pressure can affect the pleasure you would have otherwise derived from sex.

In Men

High blood pressure leads to the wearing out of the lining of blood vessels and causes arteries to narrow and harden that decreases the blood flow. This results in decreased blood flow to the penis. In case of some men, this decreased blood flow makes it difficult for them to achieve and maintain an erection. This problem is called erectile dysfunction.

High blood pressure may also interfere with ejaculation and be a cause for low libido. The medications that are prescribed for treating high blood pressure may lead to this condition.

In Women

Just as in the case of men, high blood pressure results in the decreased flow of blood to the vagina in case of women. This may cause problems like low libido, vaginal dryness, or complexities in achieving orgasm. Sexual dysfunction in women results in stress, anxiety and even relationship issues.



High Blood Pressure and Sex

How too much sugar can adversely affect your sex life

Sugar is an important source of calories in the body as it can provide immediate energy to the body after consumption. Sugar being a simple carbohydrate is digested quickly and released into the bloodstream to be used as energy. However, too much sugar in the bloodstream at once can cause a host of disorders in the body including affecting one's sex life. Outlined below are the ways how sugar adversely affects sex life-

1. Impairs the gene that regulates sex hormones

Glucose and fructose are synthesized in the liver, where the excess is converted into fat. When fat synthesis rate goes up in the body, it affects SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin) gene in the body. This gene is responsible for regulating the levels of testosterone and estrogen in the body. Hence, in this case, the affected person becomes highly susceptible to infertility.

2. Lowers testosterone levels

Indulging in a diet that consists of too much sugar affects insulin resistance. Due to this, testosterone levels drop in both men and women. This causes disorders related to sexual function such as erectile dysfunction and also reduces sex drive.

3. Fatigue and reduced energy levels

Foods high in sugar cause temporary spikes in blood sugar which in turn results in fatigue, thus reducing sex drive. It also decreases levels of Orexin, a neurotransmitter that regulates feelings of arousal in the body, causing fatigue and lethargy.

4. Increases stress

Increased stress levels as a result of sugar consumption occur when high insulin levels cause the body to produce cortisol, a stress hormone. Too much cortisol in the body decreases libido



How too much sugar can adversely affect your sex life

While it is widely felt that men commit all sex related mistakes, women are equally at the erring end with respect to sex.

Here are 6 mistakes women frequenty make without realising it- 

1) Not Initiating Sex: It is a myth that women are not interested in sex as much as men. Neither should men have to be the traditional intiators. In fact, because most guys feel that they are always the initiators, it tends to set up disequilibrium on the passion levels in the relationship. Women must show interest by taking the first step every now and then. Your partner will really appreciate it, and it will also be very satisfying for you.

2) Not Guiding Him: It might be awkward for a woman to directly talk about what she wants, but it is the only way to lead your man to understand what works for you. If you let your man know what you like and what you do not, it is easier for him and makes for a good experience for both.

3) Bothering About Your Looks: Accept and appreciate your body. Concerns about how you look, during intercourse stops you from enjoying yourself and ruins your chances of achieving an orgasm. Men want their partners to abandon themselves during the act. All they really care about is your enthusiasm, energy, interest and flexibity.

4) Assuming Men Are Casual About It: It is a myth that men are not romantic or take sex casually. It is important for them. Both men and women find sexual intimacy in the context of a committed relationship to be much more satisfying.

5) Assuming He Should Be Up For It Always: There are many aspects of life that men, just like you, deal with daily. The pressures of daily rouitne -- work, family, bills – sometimes affects a man’s libido. Women tend to be surprised by this and often take a man’s lack of interest in sex personally. Give your man space to be and accept things naturally.

6) Getting Upset When He Suggests Something New: Men like to experiement. And if he suggests something new that you cannot appreciate, try to convey it in a very subtle manner. Do not get upset. Always talk about your comfort level and discuss openly about moral grounds.

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6 Sex Mistakes Women Make

For a healthy relation it is important that we learn to communicate our feelings with our partners. Foreplay not only plays an essential role in sexual arousal prior to the act of sexual intercourse, but it also has a number of health benefits for both men and women, which are both physical and emotional in nature. It also works towards increasing intimacy between couples and often leads to a higher level of sexual satisfaction, again for both sexes. 

Here are some foreplay moves you can use to make your time in the bedroom more satisfactory.

1. Engage in conversation: Communicating with your partner is often a great way to get things started. Talking dirty not only increases intimacy between the couple, but also makes it more fun for both, thus reducing stress level, it often reduces the performance anxiety disorder, especially in men.

2. Take it slow: Taking your time during foreplay, with prolonged periods of kissing and sexual stimulation, can exponentially increase levels of arousal for both sexes, and thus add to the chances of reaching orgasm in the ensuing act of intercourse. Many women have also reported that climaxing during foreplay itself increases the probability of achieving multiple orgasms, due to release of a high number of endorphins, thus inducing feelings of euphoria.

3. Try to provide equal attention to all erogenous zones: Spending time in stimulation of each and every erogenous zone of the body such as the neck, breasts and clitoris (for women), penis and scrotum (for men), etc., can often prove to be very useful in sexually arousing your partner and increasing chances of achieving an orgasm.

4. Erotic massages work great: Deep and sensuous massages, especially of erogenous zones, coupled with small breaks to kiss your partner can lead to high levels of arousal due to the friction between your hands and their skin, which aids the release of several arousal hormones, and works great to maximize pleasure.  

5. Engage in oral sex: Though many may be averse to the idea of engaging in oral sex, it has been found that it has a number of health benefits. It not only acts as a stress buster but also helps regulate blood pressure levels, increases chances of conception, relieves pain, and even reduces chances of prostate cancer in men.

5 Foreplay Moves To Get It All Started

Intercourse is meant to be a pleasurable and intimate experience. But it might become an unpleasant act if you are suffering from performance anxiety. When you are mentally occupied by questions such as "Do I look too fat?" or "Did I do that right?", sex stops being a gratifying experience.

Incessant anxiety over your ability or appearance can result in sex becoming nerve-wracking and stressful for you. It might even have you avoiding sex altogether. This psychological condition is termed as sexual performance anxiety.

Sex isn't only a physical reaction, there are emotions tied to it as well. If you are too stressed out and your mind is preoccupied, your body reflects your inner turmoil and you cannot get aroused.

Causes
The causes of sexual performance anxiety include:
1. Fear that you wouldn't be able to satisfy your partner and perform well sexually
2. Body image issues (Such as stressing about your weight)
3. Problems in your relationship
4. Men worry that their penis don't 'measure' up
5. Men might be concerned about taking too much time to orgasm, or about premature ejaculation
6. Women worry about not enjoying the experience or being unable to have an orgasm

Symptoms
Your mental state has a deep impact on your physical state. The effect of stress hormones norepinephrine and epinephrine can hinder your sexual performance. Symptoms of sexual performance anxiety include:

1. In men, blood vessels constrict due to the effect of stress hormones. This leads to reduced blood flow to the penis, thus making it difficult for the man to get an erection.

2. Often though it is less diagnosed in women, sexual performance anxiety leads to trouble in lubrication during sex. Lack of lubrication dims the desire to have sex.

Sexual performance anxiety is a vicious, inescapable cycle. Increased anxiety hampers you from having sex, making you think you won't be able to perform well, which causes even more anxiety.

Treatment
Consult a doctor you will be comfortable with discussing your problems. Sexual performance can be either treated by medication (if you have an underlying medical condition such as erectile dysfunction) or through therapy.

Talking to a therapist or counsellor about your problems can help you in several ways. You can learn to become more comfortable with yourself and your body. You can also understand your problems better, which can eliminate your anxiety.

All About Sexual Performance Anxiety

3 Proven Ways of Increasing Intimacy

Here is a list of 3 scientifically proven ways of increasing intimacy with your partner.

1. Look them in the eye and tell them all about yourself

Self-disclosure is an important part of relationships, especially during the initial phase. However, gradually as people feel that they've known enough about each other, communication seems to come to a standstill.

But the actual reason for this is not the lack of things to talk about but resistance which arises out of a feeling of vulnerability. It mostly happens in established relationships because both the partners do not wish to break past the certainty and assurance.

Therefore, the revealing part that may lead to some changes in perception is often skipped. However, not doing so and truly communicating with your partner can help you in increasing intimacy and having a deeper connection with your partner.

2. Share the laughter

Sharing the joy and the humorous experiences is a great way of increasing intimacy with your partner. Since every person's sense of humour is different, humour is a deeply personal aspect of your personality. Therefore, when you share genuine laughter with your partner that is when your sense of humour matches with each other, it improves your understanding and builds intimacy.

3. Tell them how you feel and know how they feel

It is extremely important for you to talk with your partner about how you feel - not just about the relationship, but about other important aspects of your life as well. If conflicts are dealt with by discussing how you feel about them and not on the lines of rationality, you end up feeling more intimate with your partner. Honestly discussing and exchanging your feelings is an amazing way of increasing your intimacy with your partner.



3 Proven Ways of Increasing Intimacy

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