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On average, a person has se* 5778 times in their lifetime. Whether someone has se*u more and someone less, even the greatest libido can run dry. Have you wondered what happens to your body if you don’t have se*x for a long time?
1. You will lose sexual appetite
It seems that for human libido the motto applies: use it, or you’ll lose it. “Some people who give up sex for a certain time suddenly become slower, less vital and lose the desire for sex,” said sex therapist Sari Cooper. But there is also a second group of people for whom, on the contrary, sexual abstinence increases the desire for sex.
2. Weakened vaginal walls
This applies especially to women who are on the threshold of menopause. “At an older age sex is no longer so regular, which leads to weakening of the vaginal walls. And when sex does occur then, it is often painful,” the therapist explained.
3. Loss of moisture
This also mostly concerns older women. After a longer break from sex a woman may have trouble becoming moist during intercourse. This is caused by a lack of the hormone estrogen.“If you take a twenty- or thirty-year-old, it’s clear that she will have enough estrogen for her tissue to remain healthy, elastic and sufficiently lubricating even if she doesn’t have sex. But that is not the case for a 60-year-old woman,” says Dr. Lauren Streicher. The doctor recommends the following to relieve the effects of lack of sex and aging: “Loss of moisture will slow down if women regularly pleasure themselves. Erotic books or videos can also help.”
4. Increased pain during menstruation
It may seem counterproductive, but sex during your period really does relieve menstrual cramps. “The uterus is a muscle and orgasm causes blood to be expelled faster, which eases menstrual cramps. There can also be an increase in endorphin release, which helps with that as well,” explained Dr. Streicher.
