Can stress management help in preventing ED?
Everybody encounters stress. Our bodies are geared toward sensing stress and responding to it. It keeps us vigilant and prepared to prevent threats. However, persistent stress causes the body to degenerate and can lead to issues like erectile dysfunction. The secret to managing stress is figuring out what situations in your life are contributing to it and finding solutions to change them.
Erectile dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction is basically a disorder found in men which could be a sign of physical or psychological condition. The symptoms associated with this disorder is found in men’s reproductive organ i.e. inability to keep an erection firmer and longer enough during a sexual activity.
There are many men who experience erectile dysfunction occasionally because of stress, fatigue, alcohol, or emotional issues, but 25% of men have recurring episodes of the disorder. People dealing with erectile dysfunction will be:
- Unable to achieve erection at anytime needed.
- might achieve erection sometime but not when needed like during sexual activity.
- might able to achieve erection when needed but not long enough
Stress
The body’s response to any change that necessitates a modification or response in order to sustain normal function is stress. When something changes, the body may respond physically, emotionally, or mentally.
Stress is typically a result of your circumstances, and it is typically momentary (like an upcoming project deadline, exams, a new baby on the way, relationship struggles or retirement). On the other hand, anxiety encompasses more than just being stressed, anxious, or worried. After the initial source of stress or worry has passed, anxiety is the continued feeling of stress or worry.
Why does stress lead to erectile dysfunction?
The first thing to realise about stress is that it has both physical and psychological impacts. Continuous stress can result in a lengthy variety of symptoms, which when combined can lead to issues both in and outside of the bedroom, such as:
- Irritability
- low mood
- difficulty sleeping
- Headaches
- chest pain
- Heartburn
- diarrhoea or indigestion
It’s also important to realise that in order to get an erection, you must be sexually stimulated. It may be difficult to get enthusiastic enough for sex if you’re under a lot of stress since you may lose your sex drive. Even if you are successful in getting an erection, you can have trouble keeping it up.
A vicious cycle of deteriorating symptoms can also be brought on by stress. Stress-related ED might actually cause you to feel more anxious because you worry about “failure to perform.” Your symptoms might develop as a result of this performance anxiety, making it challenging for you to finish the cycle.
Some lifestyle choices that either cause or contribute to ED are influenced by stress and anxiety, including:
- Usage of illicit drugs
- nicotine use
- excessive alcoholic beverage use
- a sedentary way of life
Causes of Stress resulting in ED
Everything, including negative things, can lead to stress. Your body responds to these modifications physically, mentally, and emotionally. Sometimes we are unaware of the myriad factors that stress is influenced by as well as the problems that stress can lead to.
Men of all ages can experience sexual dysfunction due to a variety of stressors, including but not limited to the following:
- Marriage
- Deadlines
- legal issues
- job loss
- Divorce
- a new job
- Retirement
- Money issues
- Illness
- Parenting
Dangers of Chronic Stress
A sustained adrenaline rush brought on by an urgent risk, such as a fire or a car accident, is not the same as chronic stress. A constant flow of adrenaline stresses your arteries and wears down your body.
Your blood vessels resemble a firehose. They can withstand extremely high pressure when your heart is working hard and quickly, particularly when you require more oxygenated blood in an emergency, but they cannot withstand pressure that is constant.
Chronic stress is comparable to watering your yard continuously for 12 hours with a fire hose. The fire hose will also be destroyed by that burst of high-pressure water, which will likewise devastate your landscape. The worst type of stress on your body is the ongoing daily stress you experience from things like work, family, and traffic.
Your blood arteries are like a fire hose; they can withstand pressure for a little period of time to put out the occasional fire, but not continuously throughout the day. And do you know where in the male anatomy those priceless blood vessels are required to maintain an erection?
Adequate blood flow is important for erections. One of the primary reasons of erectile dysfunction, a persistently stressful atmosphere will eventually harm the way your blood vessels operate (ED).
De-stress for better Sex life
Different strategies elicit different reactions from different people. Finding a stress-reduction strategy that works for you will probably result in reduced erectile dysfunction and increased sexual satisfaction. Several methods to lessen stress include:
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Exercise (150 minutes of moderate intensity)
- Limit caffeine,
- Drink less alcohol
- decrease nicotine
- Dance
- Laugh
- Socialize
- acupuncture
REFERENCES:
- https://www.webmd.com/erectile-dysfunction/guide/ed-stress-management
- https://www.healthline.com/health/erectile-dysfunction-anxiety-stress
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23822751/
- https://onlinedoctor.lloydspharmacy.com/uk/mens-health-advice/can-stress-cause-erectile-dysfunction
- https://www.verywellhealth.com/stress-and-erectile-dysfunction-5202285
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