A study by La Trobe
University in Melbourne found that 27 per cent of Australian women do not enjoy
having sex. Over half of the women included in the study admitted they had no interest in love making, with body image, physical discomfort and dissatisfaction highlighted as some of the biggest factors why
sex slipped down their list of priorities.
In America it
seems women still share a desire for sex, however a lack of time and stress are reasons why they
engage in less lovemaking sessions than they’d like. Published last
year, the annual WomanTALK study, which surveyed over 1000 women aged 18 and
above, revealed 41 per cent of women were satisfied with their sex lives.
We look at the
common reasons why women are doing the deed less often, and speak to the
experts for advice on how to get the fires burning again.
You’re too tired
Forget about the
headache as an excuse for getting out of sex. One third of women are too tired to even think about it,
according to the WomanTALK study.
body+soul sex and
relationship expert Dr Gabrielle Morrissey says ssleep deprivation can easily leads to a
low sex drive. “When we have adequate sleep our essential functions keep going
and we can still do day-to-day tasks, but what we don’t realize is that our
non-essential functions like our libido disappear,” she says.
Morrissey
recommends sticking to a sleeping routine or making time for quick naps can
help bring the spark back. “Look at the cause for lack of sleep and try to
change it.”
You’re too stressed
Stress can put a big stop on stress according to the WomanTALK
survey with 23 per cent of women admitting it’s the furthest thing they think
about when feeling frazzled. When really, a romp in the sheets can be exactly
what’s needed during times of stress. This is because the endorphin's
released during lovemaking as well as the physical intimacy can have a
significant impact on lowering stress levels.
A recent survey by Bupa found that one in three
Australians believe having sex is a great way to de-stress, with women aged 35
its biggest advocates. But how do you put this knowledge into practice when
it’s not on your to-do list?
Morrissey says a quick sex session is better than nothing.
“At first it might seem like a chore. Then you realize if you do it for 15
minutes you will feel better for it.”
“It needs to be
one of the things on the list of stress-relievers, like having a bath or
watching a DVD,” she says.
You have no sex drive
Lack of interest in sex affects more than half of Australian
women, according to the La Trobe University study. And it seems some women are
doing the deed out of obligation over interest, says American psychiatrist Dr
Naomi Greenblatt. “[Women] are having sex for obligation, not enjoyment
purposes,” she says.
But Morrissey
admits there are ways to reignite the spark. “It is often lifestyle
related, not hormonal,” she says. “Women are highly distracted. The littlest
thing can switch them off [thinking about sex]. It is a matter of isolating
that cause and working out what is going on.” And Morrissey says, by engaging
in regular lovemaking can only stimulate your desire for more.
You’re single
The reason why
might sound obvious, but single women revealed they would have more sex if they
could, according to the WomanTALK survey. The American researchers found that
31 per cent of women felt held-back by singledom, and engaged in less sex than
they’d like.
Closer to home,
the number of dissatisfied singletons is only expected to grow. The Australian
Bureau of Statistics predicts single households will rise from four per cent to
28 per cent by 2031, while the number of family households will fall from 72
per cent to 69 per cent over the same period.
Morrissey says the
best way to address it is to decide what you're looking for, be that sex or a
life-long partner. “You have to work out if you’re looking for a relationship
or a casual thing and get out there and try to find that,” she notes.
You’re insecure about your body
Bad body image is the second biggest hang-up
for Australian women when it comes to having sex, according to La Trobe
University researchers. While just 14 per cent of men admitted to being
concerned about their bodies in bed, a massive 40 per cent of women said it was
holding them back.
To turn this
around, Morrissey says taking small mental steps can make a big difference to
boosting self-confidence. “Think about what you really like about yourself,”
she says. “Have you got really great legs, or hair or another feature?”
“Just breaking the
mould and wearing the pair of heels you haven’t worn for ages is a good start.”
No comments:
Post a Comment