Supercharge Your Sex Life

Sex is the Best Medicine

We know that sex improves sleep, boosts immunity and fosters better relationships. But after a long day, it can be tough to think about doing anything but snoozing when you hit the sheets. The good news: A few tiny tweaks to your daily routine can give you that lusty lift you need to make love more often by, for example, increasing your body’s production of libido-boosting dopamine, a brain chemical that can help you feel more frisky. When dopamine levels are high, you gain more energy to take action as well as the ability to perform... Translation: You'll have hotter, more frequent sex.

Load Up on Libido-Boosting Foods

The easiest way to dial up your sex life is by eating foods that actually create more libido-boosting dopamine in the body. Foods to load up on include everything from figs to cottage cheese, walnuts, beef, dark chocolate and even eggs. All of them are rich in the feel-good chemical. Asparagus, bananas, and oysters can also be effective aphrodisiacs.

Add Some Spice (Literally!)

Sprinkle on some saucier herbs to heat things up between the sheets. Chile peppers contain capsaicin, known to stimulate nerve endings, while garlic contains allicin, which increases blood flow to the genitals to enhance sexual stimulation and orgasms. Other spices that boost dopamine levels include basil, black pepper, cayenne and ginger.

Cut Down on Alcohol and Cigarettes

Alcohol naturally supresses testosterone levels, so women feel less frisky. It has been shown to affect a man’s ability to hold an erection. And nicotine destroys acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that boosts sexual arousal.

Take Some Tea Time

The caffeine in coffee and tea “boosts your dopamine levels as well as your sex drive, because it gets your blood pumping. It also enhances endurance by releasing fat stored in the body so you can have sex for longer periods of time. For a double-dose of dopamine power, steep two green tea bags in two cups of boiling water.

Slash Your Sugar Intake

Sugar depletes dopamine in the body, which reduces your sexual desire. To sidestep future problems in the boudoir, consider switching to sugar substitutes or cutting it out of your diet completely and replacing it with something less problematic, like sweet cocoa, nutmeg or cinnamon.

Get Moving!

Exercise releases brain chemicals which “not only give you the feeling of a ‘runner’s high’ but also help produce testosterone, a compound which powers your sex drive. In fact, studies show individuals who exercise regularly are more easily sexually aroused and reach orgasm more quickly and intensely than those who don’t. Recommended: 20 to 30 minutes of exercise daily.

 

Focus on Foreplay

Foreplay helps to establish intimacy and understanding: It’s essential for men to create and maintain good, strong erections and women need foreplay because it’s harder for them to become aroused, and eventually orgasm, through intercourse alone. A few ideas: Take a shower together, give each other erotic massages and never underestimate the power of kissing, as it is "an essential and intimate part of foreplay".

Squeeze in More Shuteye

Sleep deprivation results in a lack of serotonin, “the brain chemical that allows you to experience sexual pleasure and feel good about yourself. So for more and better sex, strive to nab at least seven hours of sleep a night. To maximize the quantity and quality of your snooze time, avoid naps in the late afternoon or evening and consider setting up quiet, relaxing nighttime rituals to better decompress before bed, like reading an enjoyable book.

Keep Yourself Hydrated

Not only does drinking three to four liters of water a day aid in weight loss by flushing your digestive system and increasing your metabolism, it will actually raise your dopamine levels to sizzle up your sex life.
Bonus: A well-hydrated body is a well-lubricated body, making sex much more comfortable for both partners.

Keep Stress in Check

Stress increases levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, which naturally decreases sex drive. Feeling frazzled? Take some time to decompress by participating in a calming activity, such as listening to soothing music. Another idea: To effectively stop a stress cycle, slip between the sheets.“Ultimately, sex is the ideal way to relieve stress”.

Experiment with Sex Toys

Afraid to try sex toys? Don’t be. These products are often recommended by doctors and sex therapists for people who have difficulty reaching orgasm by other means but they also have the power to supercharge your sex life. How? They increase libido by providing an additional source of genital stimulation during sex and foreplay. Not sure where to start? Consider spicing up your regular routine with a clitoral pump or vibrator.