It’s no surprise that there are many benefits of consistent exercise.  Working out is a vital part in staying healthy (both physically and mentally), promotes weight loss, and boosts energy.  But along with a healthy diet and the right amount of sleep, exercise can be part of a balanced lifestyle that leads to…. wait for it… better sex.

Curious? Let’s dive deep into ways exercise really does boost your sex life!

Body Language

If you like to be adventurous in the bedroom, sex oftentimes involves holding unusual positions for a given amount of time. Don’t forget, sex is exercise. If we want it to keep feeling good for both ourselves and our partner, the muscles we need for it should be worked and toned regularly. If your workouts include manipulating your own bodyweight, strengthening the pelvic muscles, and weightlifting, you could see an improvement in your ability to hold the positions you’re used to – and even the new ones you and your partner have talked about — leading to more frequent, and comfortable sexual encounters. 

Additionally, sex can get your heart racing in more ways than one, but let’s make sure it’s not because you don’t have enough stamina – exercising should not only significantly improve your ability to hold positions but allow you to be intimate for extended periods of time.

Improved confidence

Body confidence comes with better health and fitness. Feeling better about your body can also improve your personal sense of self-worth and your ability to overcome challenges you may have thought impossible. Working out regularly challenges participants to overcome mental and physical obstacles, and often boosts mental health and confidence along the way.

Scientifically speaking, regular exercise also boosts the production of endorphins, which increases your happiness and self-esteem. Remember, confidence is sexy. You might be surprised with how often people crave more confidence in a sexual partner.

Increases Blood Flow

Consistent bouts of exercise can help increase your libido and lower the amount of erectile dysfunction that you could encounter. According to one study conducted by the University of California, exercise helps improve “reliable sexual function” while also making you more likely to experience orgasms — and better ones. Ladies who regularly work out are more likely to be turned on than their counterparts who don’t work out. The increased blood flow that comes from working out sets us up to have easier, more intense climaxes with heightened sensitivity in our nether regions.

Reduces Stress and Anxiety

Exercising is a great way to cope with stress and anxiety. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with something, working out can help you work through it and lower your overall stress levels. The reason for this has to do with our bodies natural reaction to stressors, called the Fight or Flight response. When our bodies are triggered, we feel stress or anxiety which is meant to fuel our fight or flight response. For instance, if you receive a stressful email at work that triggers you, our natural response is stress which is meant to give us energy to be extremely active and survive. If we do not act upon our triggers and manifest them into a workout or another healthy release, we will feel built up anxiety or stress.

If that’s not enough of a reason to workout, remember… no one is ever “in the mood” when they’re stressed out. If you have a lot on your mind, and the idea of sex sounds like a chore, exercising can help clear your mind, lower your stress levels, and in turn, boost your mood.

Also note, that exercise reduces symptoms of depression. So, if you or your partner are struggling with dark moods, exercise can help you feel better, and see the world in a more positive light, and likely help your relationship.

Helps You Sleep Better

Sleep and sex are closely related and there are a few different reasons for this. In an article published on The Conversation, sex therapist and author, Dr. Laurie Mintz, writes, “It is now clear that a hidden cause of sex problems is sleeplessness and that hidden cause of sleeplessness is sex problems. Additionally, Dr. Mintz explains, “Conversely, a good night’s sleep can lead to a greater interest in sex, and orgasmic sex can result in a better night’s sleep.” The reason for this is that sleep helps reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, causing you to feel more relaxed and able to get in the mood, while also improving energy levels; effects that are boosted by consistent physical activity.

Keep It Up!  

Once you get in your workout groove, don’t stop! The only way you will see results in the gym, and in the bedroom, is with consistency. And it’s likely that the reason you are drawn to exercise is not initially for its sexual benefits, but for its ability to boost your mood, promote weight loss, and an overall better quality of life and well-being. The benefits of working out are endless, but remember that physical, mental, and sexual transformations take time. Turn your exercise into a habit, and your body (and your partner) might just reward you in more ways than one.

Guest Post by: Stephanie James