Side Effects of not having a Healthy Sex life

The generational advancement in our society owes itself a healthy sex life. Sex- a term considered much interdicted in society, is the powerful reason for existence of the human society itself. The amount of sex a person tends to indulge in varies depending on a multitude of factors, like the age, the partner’s sex drive, level of relationship etc. Having sex regularly does come up with its own mutual benefits, from lowering stress and reducing blood pressure, to improving the functioning of the immune system; it is also responsible for putting you in a better mood! These account for having a healthy sex life. And while there are perks, there are also counter effects of not having a healthy sex life, leading to increased stress coupled with a few other concerns.

How do you define a healthy sex life?

With the daily hustle and bustle of life, maintaining a good and safe sex drive is essential. Time and effort from both parties are what keep the intimate relationship flourishing. Consent practiced with proper hygiene and contraceptives leads to numerous benefits such as low blood pressure, sound sleep, better heart health, increased libido etc, resulting in a person enjoying healthy sex life.

To ensure healthy sex life, one can get themselves tested for any underlying issues, before committing themselves to a certain relationship. A sex hormone-binding globulin test (SHBG), is a protein made by the liver, found in both men and women, the levels of which can help determine sexual problems if any.

Ways in which lack of action, can be bad for you:

Apart from the anxiousness and stress, not having a healthy sex life can trigger a host of other problems such as

• Increased blood pressure levels: having sex in a way contributes to aerobic and muscle-building exercise, which not only makes you feel physically better but also helps calm anxiety and therefore keeps the pressure levels under check. Unhealthy sex practices can lead to increase in stress, which in turn can cause blood pressure to rise.

• Chances of prostate cancer: a few research studies have stated that orgasms lead to the regulation of the metabolic cells, and are also linked to low levels of stress, thus men who ejaculate often, have a lower risk of getting prostate cancer as it removes harmful substances from the prostate.
  
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• Enhanced risk of heart disease: while regular sex is believed to improve blood circulation with healthier blood vessels, it is also known, that for males, the production of the harmful chemical, homocysteine, which can trigger cardiac problems, is reduced upon having sex. A major side effect of unhealthy sex life, therefore, is the chance of heart disease increasing.
   
• Unhealthy vagina: this especially holds true for women hitting menopause, as the body does not produce much oestrogen, long periods of not having sex can lead to tightening of the vaginal canal, and result in bleeding during sex. In contrast, healthy and frequent sex leads to regular blood flow and lubrication that keeps the vagina healthy.
   
• Prone to illness: though sex may reduce the probability of germ exposure, healthy sex is good for the immune system. It produces an antibody, Immunoglobulin, which shields from common cold and cough. People who seldom have sex are less prone to fall ill as compared to those who do not have an active sex life.
  
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• Aches and pains experience: while having sex not only uplifts the mood, it is also beneficial when it comes to reducing pains and aches, menstrual cramps etc. Having healthy sex releases endorphins in the body which relieve and ease pain in the head, back, legs, or even arthritis pain.
   
• Quality of sleep: healthy sex releases oxytocin and vasopressin among the many hormones in the body that induces sleep. The many hormonal releases help curtail stress and get the body into routine sleep. Adversely, not having a healthy sex life, can lead to lower quality of sleep. In fact, vice versa, if you eye a healthy sex life, quality of sleep is equally important.
   
• More stress and anxiety: not having a healthy sex life can often put you at risk of heightened stress and anxiety. While having sex might be the last thing in your mind when you are stressed, it is actually proven to reduce stress through the help of hormonal release. The production of oxytocin counters the effects of the cortisol hormones, or the stress-inducing hormones.
   

We have different lifestyles, preferences and health habits. All of us go through a range of physical, emotional, and mental feelings. If these tamper with the sex life, one should consult a specialist who can help them get through it and lead them towards a better and comprehensive sexual life. If you are worried about the side effects of not having a healthy sex life, talk it out; a few lifestyle changes, therapy, or meditation are some basics that might help.

To ensure you have a healthy sexual life, you should have regular check-ups and examinations, which may include blood-test, urination sampling, genital and vaginal examination etc.  These might also include tests for STIs, a major factor when it comes to healthy sex life, tests for sexual dysfunction, and for women, cervical cancer tests as well. Practicing an unhealthy sex life requires you to be a little concerned and find out the root cause, talk it out with your partner and a medical expert, and get yourself examined to keep an eye on your sexual health.

Keeping these few points regarding the possible side effects of having an unhealthy sex life in mind can help you in large to get out of that spectrum and reap the many health benefits associated with sexual intimacy, letting go of the long dry spells!