When most people think of taking care of their sexual health, they think of things like yearly pelvic exams, cancer screenings, and safe sex. However, while all of those things are part of what it means to be sexually healthy, they’re not the entire picture. Sexual health is also largely about your relationship to your sexuality, as well as your ability to fully embrace yourself as a sexual being. Here’s a closer look at what you need to know to become and be your healthiest from a sexual standpoint.
Raising Your Awareness Quotient
Although society as a whole is a lot more comfortable with frank, open discourse about sex, many people still have blind spots in their understanding of how their bodies work sexually. The blind spots get even bigger when it comes to how a partner – especially one of another sex – might operate as an intimate being. Self-education is the key to gaining a better understanding of key concepts like the following:
- The basics of how sex works for both males and females, especially when it comes to differences in sexual response, stimulation, the cycle of desire, and so forth.
- Common challenges like vaginal dryness, erectile dysfunction, and lack of desire, both age-related and otherwise.
- Reproductive concerns, including birth control, as well as how to have a healthy pregnancy when (and if) you’re ready for one.
Healthy Sex Life, Healthy Body
Sex doesn’t just feel good emotionally and send you straight to cloud nine when it’s good. It’s genuinely good for your body and your ongoing health on every level. Best of all, the greater quality sex you have, the greater the benefits. The following are just a few examples.
- Struggling with low desire? Making more room for sex in your life improves your sex drive and makes it a lot more consistent. As your body becomes more responsive sexually, sex itself becomes better and more satisfying as well.
- People who have great sex (and more of it) have stronger, healthier immune systems. They get sick a lot less often and get well sooner when they do come down with something.
- You’re less likely to develop various health issues over time if you have a healthy, active sex life. Examples include urinary incontinence, heart disease, high blood pressure, prostate cancer, and breast cancer.
- You’re better able to combat the effects of stress when you’re sexually active. You’re less likely to suffer from mental health issues like depression and anxiety as well.
Keep in mind that you don’t need to have sex with other people to experience amazing benefits like the above. Masturbation and solo sex count too. And it’s wonderful exercise, so it’s hardly surprising that sexually active people have an easier time maintaining a healthy weight, building muscle, and improving range of motion.
Getting to Know Yourself Sexually
Something amazing happens when you become completely and unabashedly comfortable with yourself sexually. Not only does sex (solo or otherwise) become more satisfying in general, but your ability to connect with your partner improves. You become more confident and comfortable in your skin as well. Here’s how you can further improve your sexual relationship with yourself now and in the future.
- Everyone should spend a portion of their intimate time alone so they can get to know their body in a no-pressure environment. It’s the best way to learn how, where, and when your body genuinely likes to be touched, especially when orgasm is the goal.
- Add a sex toy or two to the mix to experiment with different sensations, both on your own and with your partner. Many options, like vibrators, feel good to anyone regardless of gender. Others are specially designed to help you stimulate hard to find (but powerful) hot spots like the P-spot and the G-spot.
- As long as your choices are safe and consensual for everyone involved, anything goes when it comes to sex. A willingness to push boundaries and explore new sexual horizons often correlates to better mental health, closer relationships, and better overall wellbeing.
Troubleshooting in the Bedroom
Opening and maintaining an active dialogue with your partner about sex comes attached to many benefits. It helps ensure issues are addressed before they have a chance to balloon out of control and lead to bigger problems. It also makes it easier to bring up possible solutions like sex therapy or medical treatments should they be needed.
Communicating opens the door to a limitless realm of possibility when it comes to your sex life together as well. Sharing fantasies or shopping for sex toys together boosts intimacy and gives you plenty of new ideas to consider. It ensures both of you are thoroughly satisfied on every level in the bedroom. How do you and your partner keep things healthy and fresh when it comes to sex and intimacy?
