Is your body image affecting your sex life negatively? If you answered yes, you are not alone. A recent study found that 40% of women and 30% of men are unhappy with their body image.
We live in a society where men and women are expected to look, dress, and act a certain way. If you can’t meet up to these standards people may start to look at you differently and even say mean things about you. This can affect not just your self-esteem, but also your body image.
This article is going to focus on how having a negative image of yourself can affect your sex life. The article is also going to shed light on some suggestions that can help you.
Can negative body image really have an impact on your sex life
Having a negative image of your body can affect you in ways you cannot imagine. Besides having low self-esteem, you will have issues in the bedroom. You see, if you aren’t proud of the way you look, you are always going to be self-conscious and shy.
Since you are overly conscious, you will be less likely to try out some sexy positions and even sex toys with your partner. You won’t even want your partner to see you naked. Also, you won’t be present during sex, as your mind is centered on your body image.
Not taking steps to address your negative body image issue won’t do you any good. In fact, it is going to make things worse. It may even get to a stage where you may feel unworthy of being pleasured by another person.
Is your body image affecting your sex life? 2 signs that it is
If you don’t like the way you look or you hate your body, you will experience some of the following issues.
Low sex drive
People with negative body image usually have low sex drive. A 2016 study found that females with a positive body image have a higher sex drive than those with a negative body image. The participants of the study with a positive body image had no issues getting aroused and climaxing.
Your mind usually wanders when you are having sex
See, being overly self-conscious about your body image is always going to put you on edge. You will always be tense. According to sex experts, high-stress levels can make it difficult for you to orgasm or even enjoy sex.
3 Things that can help if your body image is affecting your sex life
Start working out
As soon as you start working out you will notice a lot of changes in your body and mood. As you lose weight, everything from your sex drive to your happiness level will improve.
Exercising regularly can help you turn your sex life around especially if you are above 40. Experts have pointed out that the testosterone in men and women starts to reduce as soon as they reach 40. Lifting weight and staying active can help turn this around. If you are new to working out, you can start with something simple like taking a walk a couple of times a week.
Avoid people and social media accounts that make you feel bad
It will be in your best interest to avoid people who body shame you or say things that make you conscious about your body shape. Keep, in mind that these people may be your friends or even your family members. Don’t hesitate to tell them how what they say about your body affects you.
It is also important that you scrutinize your social media feed so that you don’t see pictures or posts of people that make you uncomfortable. Following people who have the same body type as you will make you feel at ease.
Narrow down where your issue is coming from
Identifying the source of your body image problem may be an important step to overcoming it. Think hard about when and how the self-loathing started. After doing this, it will be easier for you to take steps to overcome and even prevent the issue.
Final note
Negative body image can affect some key areas of your life. Your self-esteem, sex drive, and confidence level are going to decrease. Narrowing down the cause of your body image issues and taking steps to lose weight will go a long way in helping you turn things around.