by Heather Smith
If you're over-stressed, overworked and under-sexed, you're not alone. Here are some techniques for destressing your sex life.
Like most couples, Diane and Steve make love at night, before they go to sleep. But as Diane tries to focus on their lovemaking, work worries intrude: How will she meet that deadline? How can she solve the problem on that project? Forty minutes later, Diane still hasn't climaxed.
Meanwhile, Steve becomes obsessed with the fact that he has to get up at 6:00 a.m. for work. He periodically steals glances at the clock. He's calculating how much sleep he'd get if Diane would only finally orgasm. Will she not be able to orgasm again tonight? His irritation and distraction interferes with his own sexual pleasure.
If this sounds like a familiar scenario, you're certainly not alone. Nearly half of women and nearly one-third of men experience sexual dysfunction, according to a survey analysis published in the February issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. This same analysis revealed that stress-related problems are a significant risk factor for difficulties with sexual desire, arousal and orgasm. Therapists have long reported that serious stress from life-changing situations like divorce, job loss, or the death of a loved one may interfere with sexual functioning.
But everyday stressors can wreak havoc with your sex life, too. Lloyd Sinclair, sex therapist and member of the American Society of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (ASSECT), says, "One of the greatest causes of stress that can interrupt people's sexual functioning is the pressures they place on themselves through their lifestyles. Work, child responsibilities, and conflicts with people, such as a boss, can all interfere."
If you're over-stressed, overworked and under-sexed, you're not alone. Here are some techniques for destressing your sex life.
Like most couples, Diane and Steve make love at night, before they go to sleep. But as Diane tries to focus on their lovemaking, work worries intrude: How will she meet that deadline? How can she solve the problem on that project? Forty minutes later, Diane still hasn't climaxed.
Meanwhile, Steve becomes obsessed with the fact that he has to get up at 6:00 a.m. for work. He periodically steals glances at the clock. He's calculating how much sleep he'd get if Diane would only finally orgasm. Will she not be able to orgasm again tonight? His irritation and distraction interferes with his own sexual pleasure.
If this sounds like a familiar scenario, you're certainly not alone. Nearly half of women and nearly one-third of men experience sexual dysfunction, according to a survey analysis published in the February issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. This same analysis revealed that stress-related problems are a significant risk factor for difficulties with sexual desire, arousal and orgasm. Therapists have long reported that serious stress from life-changing situations like divorce, job loss, or the death of a loved one may interfere with sexual functioning.
But everyday stressors can wreak havoc with your sex life, too. Lloyd Sinclair, sex therapist and member of the American Society of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (ASSECT), says, "One of the greatest causes of stress that can interrupt people's sexual functioning is the pressures they place on themselves through their lifestyles. Work, child responsibilities, and conflicts with people, such as a boss, can all interfere."