Your wider physical and mental health can affect your sexual health and your sex life.
A healthy lifestyle, which means a balanced diet, healthy bodyweight, working out, not smoking, and cutting back on alcohol, can improve your sex life and sexual wellbeing.
For example, healthy life choices can improve your chances of getting pregnant. Some menopause symptoms can be helped by healthy lifestyle changes. Men who are fit and healthy are also less likely to have problems with staying erect (erectile dysfunction), which can also be an early sign of wider health issues.
If you’re fit and healthy, sex can help to keep you that way. Having sex often can help your heart, improve your sleep, and lower your blood pressure and stress levels. It’s also great for your self-esteem.
Need support to get healthy? Live Life Better Derbyshire provides support with issues such as weight loss, smoking or alcohol.
Your mental health can also have an impact on your sex life and vice versa. Depression, anxiety and stress can all lower your sex drive and make it tougher to climax.
Worries about sex and sexuality can also impact your mental wellbeing. If you’re LGBT+ you’re more likely to be living with a mental health condition.
Live Life Better Derby also has mental wellbeing services, but if you’re concerned about your mental health, talk to your GP. They may refer you to a service called social prescribing.
What is social prescribing?
Instead of giving you a prescription for pills or therapy, your GP can refer you to take part in something social. They might do this to help with mental and physical health issues that are made worse by feeling lonely. You can also refer yourself (self-refer).
Once you’re signed up to a social prescribing scheme, a link worker will be assigned to you. They will help you work out the option that’s best for you and connect you with local services.
These could include:
- social, friendship and support groups
- creative activities
- outdoor activities
- advice about housing, benefits and money
- training, learning new skills and employment support
- volunteering
If you would like to meet with a social prescriber for a chat, call or text 0774 869 2543, email ddccg.
- Read about sex and relationships.
- Find out about psychosexual counselling.
- Get help if you’ve been a victim of sexual abuse or assault.
- Please visit the Family Planning Association patient information guide on Reproduction: A Guide (Bodyworks) for more information.
- Please visit the Family Planning Association patient information guide on After A Baby: Your Health and Wellbeing for more information.