Sex as natural stress relief
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Some studies show that short term stress or anxiety can actually increase sexual response and sex hormone production. In this type of stress, a branch of the nervous system called the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is activated. The SNS stimulates release of adrenaline and noradrenaline from the adrenal glands, which creates a “fight or flight” response, preparing the body to stand up to or escape a stressor and making your heart beat faster and stronger—which also happens when you are aroused sexually. Moderate activation of the SNS—with intense exercise, for example—facilitates sexual arousal in women. In fact, sex hormones temporarily increase in response to brief stress in both men and women. So even though chronic stress interferes with sexual response and inhibits production of sex hormones, short duration stress can actually assist libido! However, subjective reports of arousal don’t always correspond to physiological measures of arousal. In order to find enjoyment from sex, it is important that both your body and your brain are into it.
What’s really intriguing is that not only does stress impact your sex life (see part 1 on the effects of stress on sex drive), but the reverse is true: your sex life can impact your ability to handle stress! Women who had positive physical contact from their partners prior to a stressful event exhibited significantly lower cortisol levels and heart rate responses to the stress. Interestingly, verbal support from partners did nothing to reduce the women’s stress response. In another study, intimacy in couples’ everyday life was associated with reduced daily cortisol levels. Intimacy seemed to offer a buffering effect against work-related elevations in cortisol.
Ways to enhance both your sexual response and your stress response:
Give and receive positive physical contact. Hold hands, dance, give your partner a back rub, hug each other. This helps combat the stress response, and it can foster a positive emotional connection. Both emotional and physiological arousal are important in a healthy sexual response.
- Find ways to leave your stress outside the bedroom door. Write down the things that you need to remember so they will be less apt to intrude in your brain at inopportune times. Distraction can be a real mood-killer.
- Try snuggling up with your love for a scary movie or paddling some class IV white water rapids together. Short term stress can increase sexual response.
- Support your stress response system nutritionally. Herbs like ashwagandha and eleutherococcus (formerly Siberian ginseng) help your body adapt to stress, while maca has been shown to support healthy sexual function in both men and women.
- If you have adrenal fatigue, support your adrenals with nutritional supplements – such as B vitamins, vitamin C, manganese, magnesium and adaptogenic herbs. This can help them produce the DHEA you need for libido as well as the cortisol you need to manage stress.
- Hit the gym for a quick work out. A brief bout of intense exercise facilitates physiological arousal.
- Keep it fun. Focus on the process rather than the end. Don’t add stress needlessly.
- Make time to practice physical intimacy with your partner. This in itself can reduce cortisol levels, and reduced cortisol levels are associated with improved sexual response.
Don’t let stress take over the bedroom. Practice connection, inject a little excitement, and keep things fun. As you manage your stress response, you’ll be supporting your sexual response, and by supporting your sexuality, you’ll receive the added benefit of reducing your stress in the process.
Photo credits: Flickr users Tamboko the Jaguar and zaphodsotherhead
About the Author
Dr. Lise Naugle is an associate of Dr. James L. Wilson. She assists healthcare professionals with clinical assessment and treatment protocols related to adrenal dysfunction and stress, and questions regarding the use of Doctor Wilson’s Original Formulations supplements. With eleven years in private practice and a focus on stress, adrenals, hormonal balance and mind-body connection, she offers both clinical astuteness and a wealth of practical knowledge. Dr. Naugle also maintains updated information about the latest scientific research on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function, endocrine balance and nutritional support for stress and develops educational materials about stress and health for clinicians and their patients.
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Hi, I have read comments from the cure zone that sex actually hurts the adrenals. I always thought it relieved stress as long as it wasn’t too excessive. Your thoughts? One person noted that with adrenal fatigue, an orgasm can cause your body eat to itself, it’s muscle’s, etc. as sex hormones are unnecessary for survival.
You speak of adrenaline being released during the act which speeds the heart rate. But isn’t that overly stimulating to the adrenals? The more I research, it sounds like anything exciting, is bad or the adrenals.
Hi Bob,
A lot of it will depend on the person. Sex can be demanding on the body, and if one is not in good enough health it could be more taxing than beneficial. Excitement or stimulation in themselves are not harmful to the adrenal glands. Dr. Wilson recommends daily exercise and activity, sexual or not, to help support the stress response system, though with everything moderation is key. No exercise or activity should leave you feeling worse, so it’s important to know your limits. Hope this helps – thanks for your questions!
Dr. Wilson’s Adrenal Fatigue Team