Deadly Consequences of Chronic Pressure on Sexual Health
In a groundbreaking study conducted by psychologists from Vienna and Germany, it has been revealed that stress has a significant negative impact on sexual life, particularly for women. The research, which involved 63 heterosexual couples, was published recently and used iPods for self-reporting of stress, sexual desire, and sexual arousal over a 14-day period.
The study's participants, who were healthy men and women aged 18-35 and in relationships, reported their sexual activities throughout the week. Interestingly, women reported sexual activities more frequently on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, peaking on Saturdays, while men reported consistent sexual activities throughout the week, peaking on Sundays.
One of the key findings of the study was the negative associations between stress and sexuality, with stronger effects in women. Higher subjective stress was associated with lower sexual desire and lower sexual arousal. The authors of the study wrote that these findings indicate that stress is a genuine sex killer, particularly for women.
To support these findings, measured cortisol concentrations, a hormone released in response to stress, reflected the negative associations between stress and sexuality. Increased sexual arousal was more strongly correlated with lower stress in women than in men.
Julia Benner, a German author and literary scholar who researches at the Humboldt University of Berlin, focusing on children's and youth literature and media, was also involved in the study.
Event-based measurements were conducted after reported sexual activities, with six saliva samples collected daily for cortisol analysis. A total of 421 sexual activities were reported during the study (men: 253; women: 167).
Despite these findings, there was no clear association between stress and sexual desire or arousal for men. This suggests that while stress may have a more significant impact on women's sexuality, it may not be as influential for men.
The study's findings highlight the importance of managing stress levels for a healthy sexual life, particularly for women. Further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms and to develop interventions to help manage stress and improve sexual health.
