The natural approach
Looking to spice up your sex life? There are a variety of things you can do in your everyday life that can help. Consider these natural approaches:
Eat aphrodisiac fruits.
Grab some chocolate.
Try herbs.
Take the supplement yohimbine.
Boost your self-confidence.
Limit your alcohol intake.
Reduce your stress.
Get plenty of sleep.
Build trust in your relationships.
What exactly is the libido?
Libido is just another name for sexual desire or the sex drive.
A variety of internal and external factors can have an effect on your libido, from your hormone levels to your medications to your sleep habits.
Everyone’s libido is different, but it’s common for males and females alike to experienceTrusted Source a decline in libido with age.
- Try eating certain fruits
Little evidence supports the effectiveness of certain foods, but there’s no harm in experimenting.
Figs, bananas, and avocados, for example, are considered libido-boosting foods, or aphrodisiacs.
These foods also provide important vitamins and minerals that can increase blood flow to the genitals and promote a healthy sex life.
- Try eating chocolate
Throughout history, chocolate has been a symbol of desire, not just because of its delicious taste but also because of its power to improve sexual pleasure.
Chocolate promotesTrusted Source the release of the chemicals like serotoninTrusted Source, which can produce some aphrodisiac and mood-lifting effects.
Serotonin may also be involved in the regulation of blood flow to the genital tissues, which could beTrusted Source responsible for some of its libido-boosting properties.
- Take your daily herbs
Next time you decide to sit down for a romantic dinner, add a little basil or garlic to your dish. The smell of basil stimulates the senses while garlic contains high levels of allicin, which acts as a vasodilator to increaseTrusted Source blood flow.
Though more research is needed, these effects could potentially help people with erectile dysfunction (ED).
Ginkgo biloba, an extract derived from the leaf of the Chinese ginkgo tree, has also been shownTrusted Source to improve sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women. However, more research is needed.
- Take a tip from Africa
Yohimbine, an alkaloid found in the bark of the West African evergreen, has been known to work similarly to Viagra.
Some studies suggestTrusted Source that yohimbine bark can help you maintain an erection. It’ll also enhance the quality of an erection and could improve sexual function if combined with other treatments.
However, researchers say there’s no natural equivalent to match Viagra. According to a 2021 reviewTrusted Source, these new emerging therapies could be useful for people who are unresponsive to other treatments for erectile dysfunction, but more high quality research is needed.
- Boost your self-confidence
The way you feel about your body affects the way you feel about sex. An unhealthy diet and lack of exercise may cause you to have a poor self-image. These things can discourage you from having and enjoying sex.
You can boost your self-esteem and your sex drive by shifting the focus from your flaws to your attributes.
You can also focus on the pleasure experienced during sex.
- Stick to one glass of wine
Two glasses of wine might be one too many.
Drinking one glass of wine can put you at ease and increase your interest in becoming intimate. However, too much alcohol can impairTrusted Source your ability to perform by affecting erectile function.
Too much alcohol can also inhibit your ability to orgasm.
Learn more about the relationship between alcohol and sex.
- Take time to meditate and relieve stress
No matter how healthy you are, being stressed out can affect your sex drive.
Females are particularly susceptible to the effects stress can have on one’s sex life, according to some research.
Males, on the other hand, may use sex to relieve stress. Sometimes differences in the approach to sex may cause conflict.
To relieve stress, consider meditation.
You might also enjoy:
participating in sports activities
practicing tai chi
taking a yoga class
- Get plenty of sleep
Those with a hectic lifestyle don’t always have the time to get the right amount of sleep. Being busy also makes it difficult to make time for sex.
People who balance work with caring for others, such as aging parents or young children, are often left exhausted, which can lead to a reduced sex drive.
Boost your energy and sex drive by taking naps when you can and eating a healthy diet high in protein and complex carbohydrates.
- Keep your relationship in check
After you’ve had an argument with your partner, chances are, you’re not in the mood to have sex.
For many people, sensing emotional closeness is important to sexual intimacy. That means unresolved conflicts can affect your sexual relationship.
Communication is essential for building trust. It’s important to prevent resentments from building up.