WHETHER we’re single or in a long-term relationship, it’s not uncommon to go through a dry spell.
From busy schedules, to stress, low libido or lack of interest, there’s a number of reasons why some of us just don’t get round to sex for quite a while.
A lack of sex can affect your body in a number of ways, both in the long and short term
It’s common knowledge that a good romp is bursting with health benefits, from boosting your immunity to bringing down stress levels.
Studies have even sought to put a number on how much sex we should be having on a weekly or monthly basis.
So it stands to reason that not having sex might also have its downsides.
Some of them seem logical, like an increase in anxiety or poorer sleep.
But as time ticks on, your body reacts to a lack or intimacy in surprising and sometimes horrifying ways.
Here are nine things that can happen to your body during a sex drought, from the short to long term.
1. Aches and pains
Dr Susanna Unsworth, a gynaecology expert at Intima, previously told Sun Health: “Having sex on your period has been proven to help relieve painful symptoms that can come with menstruation, from menstrual cramps to migraines.
“This is because sex and orgasm can increase the production of chemicals that result in ‘wellbeing feelings’, which dampen pain signals and act as a form of pain relief.”
This was echoed by sexologist Rebecca Alvarez Story, who told Well+Good that sex can remedy aches and pains caused by sore muscles and headaches.
So foregoing a romp might mean your aches and pains will hang around for a little longer.
2. Anxiety
Having sex can release a cocktail of endorphins – known as ‘happy hormones’ – into your body, including oxytocin and dopamine.
These can lower your stress levels and boost your mood, which is why fertility specialist and board-certified OB/GYN Lucky Sekhon told Well+Good that “long-term dry spells may predispose [people] to depression, anxiety, and increased stress”.
Some quality time between the sheets can also make you feel closer and more connected to your partner, so a lack of sex can also make you feel more unsure or anxious about the state of your relationship.
3. Worse sleep
There’s a reason some people conk out after a sex sesh.
Rebecca said the the body releases a cocktail of hormones after experiencing intense pleasure during sex.
They include vasopressin and oxytocin, which reduce stress in your body and help you fall asleep quickly.
Norepinephrine and serotonin then help achieve deep sleep.
As a result, a lack of sex may lead to you having worse-quality sleep.
4. Lower libido
Do you ever notice that you crave sex more when you’re regularly having it?
There’s research to support this, with a small 2014 published in the Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality finding that people who engaged in sex were more likely to crave a romp the next day.
Sexologist Carol Queen told Well+Good that the opposite can happen during a dry spell, where your body almost gets out of the habit of needing sex or responding to arousing stimuli.
“For some, this will have the effect that it becomes harder to get turned on, even if you want to,” she explained.
5. Putting on weight
Like any physical activity, sex does burn some calories.
WebMD said you can burn about five calories per minute during a typical sesh, about as much as you would with a brisk walk.
Though this may not seem like much, it starts to add up over the long term.
So it might mean that you gain a few pounds during a dry spell – this is especially the case if you’re not supplementing the lack of sexual activity with other things.
6. Dryness and tears
Obstetrician Dr Ali Novitsky, founder of Exercising Intimacy, told The Telegraph that after menopause, a woman’s vagina can become tighter and her vaginal tissues thinner if she doesn’t have sex regularly.
This can make you more susceptible to injury, tears or bleeding down there when you have sex.
7. Erectile dysfunction
Men who have sex less than once a week are twice as likely to have erectile dysfunction (ED) as those who have it weekly, according to WebMD.
8. Loss of clitoral sensation
The clitoris can be incredibly sensitive and responsive, but prolonged periods of abstinence can make it temporarily shrink and lose sensation.
This is called clitoral atrophy, and it’s commonly caused by a lack of blood flow to and stimulation of the clitoris.
Luckily, this is isn’t permanent.
“As you engage in sexual activity more often, the vagina gains elasticity, the body gets used to being touched, and the clitoris regains feeling,” Tara Suwinyattichaiporn, a sex and relationships expert, told Well+Good.
9. High blood pressure
Sex can benefit your cardiovascular system, especially if your sessions are particularly aerobic.
If you’re not supplementing the lack of activity between the sheets with other activities that can keep your blood pressure down, you might see your levels rise.
This can be a vicious cycle, as men with high blood pressure sometimes experience problems getting or keeping an erection that’s hard enough for sex, according to Blood Pressure UK.