Health Tip

“The brain is the body’s most important sex organ.” This well-known phrase bears more

than a little truth. Functional sex organs, appropriate hormone levels, and the ability

to become sexually aroused alone don’t guarantee good sex. Other factors — brain

factors — can get in the way.

Relationship issues

Tension and emotional distance can undermine a couple’s sex life. Conflicts having

nothing to do with sex, like finances or child-raising issues, can be at the root of a

sexual problem. It works the other way, too: a sexual issue can strain a couple’s ability

Performance anxiety

A person may become so worried about sexual performance that sex is not enjoyable,

or even possible. Performance anxiety becomes more common for both men and

women as they move into their 50s.

Body image and self-esteem

There are plenty of things that can make a person feel less than sexy. Gravity is not

kind to the body as it ages. Childbirth, a poor diet, weight gain, or thinning hair can

also leave a person feeling less than desirable. Such feelings can get in the way of a

sense of closeness or inspired lovemaking — and can inhibit a person from initiating or

responding to sexual advances.

Expectations and past experiences

Your sexuality is a natural drive that’s with you from birth, but your family, culture,

religious background, the media, and your peers shape your attitudes toward sex. For

some people, this history supports a healthy enjoyment of sex. For others it complicates

sexual relationships.

Stress and lifestyle changes

Stress and fatigue can quickly sap your sex drive. Stress can hit from any direction —

challenging children, financial worries, aging parents, health concerns, career woes,

and more. An overload of competing demands may keep you and your partner from

nurturing your relationship, sexual and otherwise.

Source: Healtbeat; Harvard Medical School

Courtesy: Health Prior 21.