How Can Stress Affect Sexual Performance?

As the saying goes, it is all in the mind. This is very true especially when it comes to physical intimacy, where though the body plays a major role, the mind is what drives it completely. In surveys, it has been found that people enjoy sex the most when they are in a happy mood. It is very common to find people not even think about sex when they are upset and depressed.

In both male and female sexual dysfunctions, stress is the most common cause. Stress, for whatever reasons, affects sexual life and relationships in the long run. There are some strong connections between how stress affects sexual performance. Read on to know how the human body reacts to stress, which also explains the strong connection between sex and stress.

1. Body image: When a person is stressed, there are effects like overeating, which lead to poor body image. These reduce the tendency to have sex, as the person’s self-image does not remain very positive.
2. Hormone changes: Stress also affects the pituitary gland, which is the master gland controlling all other hormones. The thyroid, adrenals, and other male/female hormone producing organs are affected, thereby, affecting the entire cycle of menstruation, ovulation, and fertility.
3. Stress hormone: The hormone cortisol (known as the stress hormone) is produced by the body when a person is in stress. When these are constantly produced as in the case with people who are constantly stressed, the production of sex hormones is reduced, thereby reducing libido.
4. Blood circulation: Stress causes vasoconstriction or narrowing of blood vessels, which reduces blood flow to the target organs. Reduced blood flow to the sexual organs translates to lesser amount of sex.
5. Lifestyle changes: Some of the ways a person tries to manage stress is through excessive smoking, eating, drinking, and drug abuse. All these spell doom for a sex life, and may even cause irreparable damage to relationships. Smoking has been shown to be a major cause of impotence. Drinking leads to dehydration, which affects lubrication and therefore leads to painful sex, which may not be continued. Binge eating not only tires a person, but also leads to obesity, which again is not inviting for sex.
6. Unhealthy relationships: When the person around is not nice to be with, it becomes a deterrent. Imagine someone who is stressed constantly, throws tantrums, has temper outbursts, and is generally cribbing and unpleasant. There is no doubt that the partner is not going to be happy with someone like that.

So, while sex is mostly thought of as an act of pleasure, it may not be the case always. There is a vicious cycle between stress and sex, which definitely can be managed. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Sexologist.