There are many reasons why women stop having sex, be it a dry spell, the end of a relationship or a partner passing. It is little known fact that a woman’s body can undergo some changes when this happens. But not many know that there are worrying things that happen to the female body when you’re no longer doing the deed.
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Here’s what you can expect to happen when you’re not having regular sex.
1. You lose your libido: Yes, when it comes to your sex drive it seems it’s a case of “use it or lose it.”
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For some people who refrain from sex, they begin to feel more sluggish, with less vitality and hunger for sex, Out of sight out of mind is how some describe the scenario.
This is not the case for everyone, however. Some people find the idea of sex even more desirable when having a dry spell.
2. Your vaginal walls may weaken: This mainly applies to women entering the menopause. Without regular frequency of intercourse as you get older the walls of your vagina thin out and can lead to painful sex when you finally get back into the sack.
To this end, the North American Menopause Society even recommend having regular penetrative sex to help vaginal health during menopause.
3. You may experience a loss of lubrication: Another side-effect which applies principally to older women, apparently the vagina struggles to get lubricated when you start having intercourse after a hiatus.
Young women may experience a lack of sex differently. What causes this – as well as thinning vaginal walls – is a lack of the hormone, oestrogen. If you take a young woman who’s 20 or 30 years old she’s going to have plenty of oestrogen around to make sure those tissues stay healthy, elastic, and lubricated when she’s not having sex. If you take someone who’s 60 and has no estrogen, she has lost that piece of it.
Many women suffer from period cramps in their abdomens. The uterus is a muscle and many women will actually have a uterine contraction when they orgasm, which will cause the blood to expel more quickly, which will in turn decrease menstrual cramps. Also, there may be an increase in endorphins, which also will help with menstrual cramps.
5. Losing your sex drive: Another potential down-side of stopping having sex is that you can also stop wanting to have sex. While research in the area is difficult – often women who have been in long term relationships don’t have high libidos as their partner has become a “comfortable shoe”. One thing I will say is that a mismatch in libidos can be difficult for a couple. If a woman wants sex and her partner doesn’t it can be absolutely devastating as it can make her feel unattractive.
7. However – you lessen your risk of catching a UTI: Finally, that silver lining.
Unsurprisingly, not only do you dramatically decrease your chances of being infected with an STD, but also UTIs too.
Because of the spread of bacteria which can occur. It’s intercourse that’s responsible for potentially increasing the risk of recurrent bladder infections.
Eighty percent of UTIs in premenopausal women occur within 24 hours of having sex, and as the journal American Family Physician stated, frequency of sexual intercourse is the strongest predictor of recurrent urinary tract infections.
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