would expect,’ says lead study
author and psychologist Jean
Twenge. Today’s young adults
talk more openly about sex,
have easier access to mates via
dating apps, and are typically
cool with premarital sex. Not
only are they under-pleasured,
though, their sexy time just
continues to decline.
How bad is the problem,
really? Well, if you’re in a
relationship and wish you got
laid more, then we don’t have
to tell you: it’s pretty bad. Most
couples have the hottest and
most frequent sex six months
to a year into a romance –
which is known as the honey-
moon phase. After that, there
is a slow fade on romp-filled
nights. And the repercussions
are real. Less sex can make
you and/or your partner feel
self-conscious, less desirable,
frustrated and lonely.
Getting busy every night
isn’t the answer. Surprisingly,
just once a week is all you
need for a happy relationship,
according to one 2016 study.
‘If you’re having weekly sex,
you’re maintaining your sexual
connection and maximising the
benefits for your wellbeing,’
explains lead author Amy
Muise, assistant professor of
psychology at Toronto’s York
University. Ramping up your
sessions can be tough when
you’ve been in a drought for
a while. That’s where Cosmo
comes in – first, we help you
ID what’s keeping you quasi-
celibate, then we present our
failproof solutions for having
more (and better!) sex. Read
on and get your body ready
for maximum satisfaction.
Most likely, one
of these sneaky
factors is cock-
blocking youFOR YOU
Your period:
When your
oestrogen and
progesterone
hormones peak
around day 14 of
your menstrual
cycle, you’ll be
all over your
manpiece. But
afterwards, they
plateau, and
PMS symptoms
kick in, cooling
your appetite.Contraception:
Hormonal kinds
can lower your
testosterone,
which in turn
can dampen
libido, says Dr
Yvonne Bohn,
an ob-gyn.Low self-
esteem:
Neg thoughts
are toxic. ‘For
women, so much
about wanting
to have sex is
based on how
we feel,’ says
Dr Bohn.FOR HIM
Strenuous
exercise:
Men whose
workouts are
very long and
intense can have
lower libido
than those who
moderately
swoll, per a
new study.Caustic
chemicals:
BPA, which is
found in plastic
water bottles
and receipt
paper, could
hinder his
erections. And
BVO (found in
some soft drinks)
has been linked
to weakened
male sex drive.A high-fat diet:
Guys with high
cholesterol
levels may be
more likely to
have trouble
getting it up,
research has
found.FOR BOTH OF YOU
Stress:
Anxiety – from
work, your busy
schedules, or
anything else- can raise your
cortisol level, a
hormone that
puts your body
in conservation
mode. This can
further eff up
your hormones,
resulting in a
weaker desire
to hook up.
Medications:
Multiple
studies show
that popping
certain
serotonin
reuptake
inhibitor anti-
depressants
can calm your
nerves (yay!),
but they can
also decrease
dopamine,
a feel-good
hormone you
need in order to
want to smash
on the reg. >W ha t ’s
killing your
m oj o
(and his)
FEEL THE RUSH
OF DESIRE
MORE OFTEN.sex & relationships