It’s normal for libido to fluctuate, but if a drop in sex drive persists, get checked out by your medical professional to rule out any possible medical cause. In many cases, just some sensible lifestyle changes can make a difference.
1. Relax!
When you’re stressed, whether about work, finances or sexual performance, your body releases cortisol. This in turn triggers the release of glucose (sugar) from your liver to provide quick energy, but if levels stay high it can affect almost every organ system, including your nervous, immune, cardiovascular and respiratory systems – and your reproductive system.
“Stress can deplete testosterone and the effect on men is devastating, as low testosterone will cause erectile dysfunction, low sex drive, fatigue, muscle weakness and fat around the abdominal area,” says Port Elizabeth relationship therapist and clinical sexologist Leandie Buys. “Men often feel as if they’re depressed, but it can sometimes be due to lack of testosterone. It’s important that they find ways to manage stress, from deep breathing and mindfulness meditation, to exercise and talking to a therapist.”
And seek professional help, she says, as low testosterone will have a physical and emotional impact on them and affect their relationship. “I see more and more men with low levels of testosterone. Treating testosterone is quite easy – first a blood test will determine the levels of testosterone, and if they are too low, treatment can be with either testosterone patches or testosterone injections. However, men procrastinate seeking help or speaking to someone about this.”
2. Get enough sleep
Sleep needs vary, and while most adults require seven to eight hours, a few can get by with five hours and awake refreshed, says Durban clinical neuropsychologist Michelle Baker, chairperson of the Allied Group for the South African Society for Sleep Health (SASSH). Regularly getting less than five hours has been linked to a range of ills, including sexual dysfunction. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found men sleeping less than five hours a night for a week had significantly lower levels of testosterone than when they had a full night’s rest – young men’s levels were reduced by the same amount as ageing 10-15 years.
If you struggle to fall asleep or to stay asleep, brush up your sleep hygiene. Try to go to bed and rise at the same time each day; keep your room dark, quiet and cool; avoid caffeine after midday, or excess alcohol, which can disturb sleep; and have a wind-down ritual, such taking a warm shower, then listening to soothing music or podcasts.
3. Get the right nutrition
A wholesome, balanced diet low in processed foods and added sugar can help you manage your weight, and improve your cardiovascular health and self-image – all of which can affect sexual function and your libido. Have wholegrains, plenty of vegetables and some lean protein, and drink lots of water. Zinc has been shown to support testosterone production, influencing fertility and sex drive, so include zinc-rich foods such as beef, pork, chicken, crab, oyster, beans, oatmeal, nuts, yoghurt and fortified bread and cereal. If you can’t manage that, ask your health provider about taking a supplement.
4. Get regular exercise
Like a healthy diet, regular exercise promotes overall wellness and a better body image and mood, which have been shown to promote libido. Some studies also suggest testosterone levels can be increased, though only temporarily, with strength exercises such as weight-lifting and with high-intensity interval training. But don’t overdo exercise – a study in the journal Medicine & Science in Sport Exercise, found men who exercised at high intensity for many years had lower libido than those with a more moderate track record. Do what you most enjoy, so you keep doing it, and improved libido will be just one of the health benefits.
Also read: What to eat after you exercise
5. Work on your relationship
Sexual desire and sex drive are complex, with psychological as well as physical elements, and arguments and unresolved issues in your relationship will affect them. Having open communication and addressing issues together is vital, says Buys. “Consider going for couples counselling or seeing a sex therapist. Men are also emotional beings, and when there’s conflict in a relationship, sexual attraction towards their partner can be affected, which in turn will affect sexual desire and sexual drive.”
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