How Can Exercise Improve My Sexual Health?
We all know that exercise is a sure-fire way to stay fit and healthy, and that maintaining a regular routine helps to ensure that we live longer, quality lives – but did you know that it can improve your sexual health too?
Aside from helping to prevent and manage things like high blood pressure, arthritis, obesity, anxiety, depression, heart disease, and more, regular exercise is a great way to improve and maintain overall better sexual health.
Key Benefits to Improving Sexual Health with Exercise
Stretching & Strengthening to Avoid Pain and Soreness
Concerning fitness, those who are more physically fit will generally feel less soreness and pain than those who aren’t as active outside of the bedroom. According to Neal Pire, fitness consultant, if “…you don’t exercise regularly, and especially if you never do crunches, you will feel soreness in your lower abdominals and your hip flexors after sex… [and] you might feel soreness in your chest muscles.” By incorporating strengthening exercises into your workout routine, you’ll be able to ensure that you feel better before, during, and after engaging in sexual activity.
Healthline also notes that by focusing on more targeted areas, like your pelvic floor muscles, you’ll also be able to “increase [your] ability to achieve pleasurable sensations during sex,” as well as improve other key bodily functions, like bladder and bowel movements.
Most importantly, we recommend stretching before and after any kind of physical activity. This will help to warm-up and cool-down your muscles and joints, so that you’ll be less prone to pulling or injuring your hips, groin, or other areas. To learn some simple stretches that are better for beginners, check out our articles on yoga for back stretching or this one on arthritis prevention, which includes exercises and stretches to help reduce pain.
Assigned Male* Health
With regards to assigned male health, UW Health found that “about 5 percent of men that are 40 years old have complete erectile dysfunction, and that number increases to about 15 percent of men at age 70.” Erectile dysfunction is often influenced by heart and artery health and obesity, and people who are generally more active have a better chance at keeping ED at bay.
Physically active individuals are also much less likely to develop urinary tract infections, and according to WebMD are also less likely to exhibit symptoms of an enlarged prostate, otherwise known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Untreated, BPH can cause low libido and trouble maintaining erections, as well as frequent urination and a weak stream.
By remaining even somewhat active – taking daily walks is a great step in the right direction– people can worry less about developing ailments that make having enjoyable sex more difficult, while also maintaining better bodily health overall.
Assigned Female* Health
Although remaining physically fit doesn’t have as many specific sexual health benefits for assigned females as it does for assigned males, Health has found that those, “…who are physically active report greater sexual desire, arousal, and satisfaction than women who are sedentary.” Staying active can also help bolster confidence in the bedroom, which also makes sexual activity easier to engage in comfortably.
Where and How Can I Start?
We found this to be a great start if you don’t already have a regular exercise plan, or if you’re new to working out. Alternatively, if you’re unsure about what your physical limits are, Healthpointe offers comprehensive physical exams, and can help you figure out what kinds of physical activities your body can safely handle, so that you can start working towards becoming your healthier self with more ease, and less stress.
These recommendations are not intended to replace professional advice –always seek your primary healthcare physician’s opinion before starting up a new workout regimen.
Healthpointe Can Help
Have you recently noticed issues with your sexual health that fitness plans alone aren’t helping? Or perhaps an injury or other ailment has been keeping you from performing as you used to in the bedroom?
Healthpointe has a wide range of specialties, including weight management, orthopedic care, occupational medicine, physical therapy, and more. Our doctors can recommend and help implement specific need-based exercises into your routine, so that you can get back to being your best self, one day at a time.
To learn more about what we have to offer and to find out if we’re right for you, call (888) 824-5580, or visit our website to schedule an appointment today.
**Assigned Male/Female: According to Wikipedia, “a person of any age and irrespective of current gender whose sex assignment at birth resulted in a declaration of ‘male’ or ‘female’.”