This World Heart Day, take some time to think about how cardiovascular disease can affect your sexual function and what you can do to improve both.
Your heart health and sex life are more closely linked than you might think. A healthy heart is essential for a satisfying sex life. If your heart isn’t in top shape, it can affect more than just your endurance
Sex may permeate our popular culture, but conversations about it are still associated with stigma and shame in Indian households. As a result, most people dealing with sexual health issues or trying to find information about sex often resort to unverified online sources or follow the unscientific advice of their friends. To tackle the widespread misinformation about sex, News18.com publishes this weekly sex column, titled ‘Let’s Talk Sex’. Through this column, we hope to spark conversations about sex and address sexual health issues with scientific insight and nuance.
In this article we explain how cardiovascular disease can affect your sexual function and what you can do to improve both.
Your heart health and sex life are more closely linked than you might think. This World Heart Day, take some time to think about how cardiovascular disease can affect your sexual function and what you can do to improve both. A healthy heart is essential for a satisfying sex life. If your heart isn’t in top shape, it can affect more than just your endurance. If the pump does not pump properly due to cardiovascular disease, this will affect your performance and your desire to become intimate.
The link between heart health and sexual function
The heart and circulatory system are responsible for pumping oxygen-rich blood throughout your body, including to your genitals. Cardiovascular disease can restrict blood flow throughout your body, including your genitals. This makes it difficult for men to get and keep an erection. The risk increases significantly if you have high blood pressure, atherosclerosis (buildup of plaque in the arteries), heart disease, or diabetes. These conditions damage blood vessels and restrict circulation, reducing blood flow to the penis. When your heart does not function properly due to cardiovascular disease, it can affect your sex life in several ways:
- Erectile Dysfunction: Erectile dysfunction (ED), also known as impotence, is the inability to get or maintain an erection. For men, ED is often one of the first signs of underlying heart disease. Plaque buildup in the arteries that supply blood to the penis can prevent blood flow for an erection.
- Decreased libido: A healthy sex drive depends on adequate blood flow throughout the body. If your heart has problems pumping blood, this can reduce your libido or sex drive. Conditions such as high blood pressure, coronary artery disease and heart failure are frequent culprits. Medications you take can also affect your libido.
- Difficulty achieving orgasm: Orgasm requires increased blood flow to the genitals and sensory nerves. Heart disease and some medications used to treat it can make it difficult for both men and women to become aroused and climax. Engaging in sexual activity regularly and experimenting with different techniques can help. But if problems persist, contact your doctor.
- Safety concerns: If you have recently had a heart attack or a procedure such as bypass surgery, your doctor may recommend avoiding sex for a period of time because strenuous activities can be dangerous. Make sure you get permission from your doctor before resuming sexual activity. Even once you’re healed, you may need to start slowly and avoid overly rigorous sex, especially in the beginning. Sexual activity places extra demands on your heart, so any symptoms during or immediately after intercourse require immediate medical attention. Don’t wait any longer – your life and quality of life are at stake.
Lifestyle changes to improve your heart and sex life
Several lifestyle changes can improve your cardiovascular health and boost your sex life.
Practice regularly: Exercise is key to heart health and improving sexual function. Aim for at least 30 minutes per day of moderate activity, such as walking, swimming or light strength training. Exercise improves circulation, which helps with arousal and orgasm. Endorphins are also released that boost your mood and libido.
Eat healthy: A diet low in saturated fat, sugar and salt but high in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins is best for your heart and sex life. Focus on the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and other nutrients essential for heart and sexual health. Limit red meat and instead choose fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, sardines and trout.
Reduce stress: Too much stress can negatively impact your heart and libido. Try relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, deep breathing and massage therapy. Spending time with loved ones, limiting screen time, and getting enough sleep can also help lower your stress levels.
Limit alcohol and avoid smoking: While moderate alcohol consumption may have some heart health benefits, too much alcohol can damage your heart and decrease libido. Smoking constricts blood vessels, increases blood pressure and reduces arousal and sexual function.
If you have cardiovascular disease or other chronic conditions, work closely with your doctor to determine the best treatment plan for you. Medications and medical procedures can sometimes cause sexual side effects, so talk to your doctor if you have any concerns about your sex life or libido. Managing conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes will have great benefits for your health and sexual function.
Certain medications, such as those for high blood pressure, anxiety, or depression, can also cause or contribute to ED as a side effect. If you experience ED, talk to your doctor about alternative medications or dosages. They may also prescribe ED medications such as sildenafil (Viagra) or tadalafil (Cialis) that improve blood flow to the penis.
A healthy body means a healthy heart and a healthy heart means a satisfying sex life at any age. Focus on total well-being and you will be enjoying intimacy again in no time. Get active, eat right, limit unhealthy habits and visit your doctor regularly. It really is that simple.
When your cardiovascular system is working properly, blood flow increases throughout your body, including to the right places. Healthy blood flow is essential for sexual arousal, performance and satisfaction for both men and women. Make your heart health a priority and you’ll enjoy the benefits for years to come, both in the bedroom and beyond. Your heart and your honey will thank you.