Stress is a serious issue and whether it’s caused by work or health problems, it will negatively affect your relationship in a variety of ways. The effects of stress are insidious. It takes a toll on your physical, emotional and relationship health, probably more than you realize.
A lot of things can suffer because of stress, like your career, family, friends and even your sex life. When it comes to sex, stress is one of those weird issues that can not only affect your sex life but also be alleviated by having sex.
This is why despite your best intentions and a perfectly fine relationship, you find yourself feeling down in the bedroom.
If this is happening to you, these 5 signs might indicate that stress is taking a toll on your love life:
1. You don’t sleep enough
A sleepless night can not only impact your performance at work the next day but will also dampen the vibes in your bedroom as well.
If you feel that something is wrong in the bedroom and it doesn’t feel the same as before, chances are that stress is robbing you of adequate sleep.
It is scientifically proven that for men, lack of sleep significantly lowers levels of testosterone, which results in a lack of sex drive.
2. Poor body image
A bad body image can put a serious damper on your relationship and your sex life. Stress is one of the leading triggers of a bad body image, and bearing that in mind, it is often pretty difficult to find the desire to rip off your clothes and get in bed with your partner.
Lower self-image equals less sex, and less sex leads to problems in a relationship. More often than not you’re just worrying about nothing, but even if you unintentionally gained a few pounds, or got a few pimples on your face, it is still not something that you should stress about because if your partner cares for you, they won’t mind at all.
3. Communications skills go down the tube
Stress will prevent your ability to focus and it will promote negative thinking. You will become grumpy and you won’t be able to talk to anyone, including your partner.
Usually, when you two are alone there are only two scenarios – either you’re fighting about something or there is a stony silence in the room.
With time, you become more and more tired of talking and arguing with your partner that you simply start bottling up your thoughts and emotions.
If you feel like you don’t want to talk to your partner, that you avoid his/her company and turn down every opportunity to get intimate, you need to find more effective ways of dealing with stress.
4. Excessive drinking
It’s not something new to hear that people use alcohol to escape from something. Just like cigarettes, alcohol is also known as an antidote to stress.
We’re not talking about getting a drink or two here, though – we’re talking about bottles that you hide from your friends and family. It needs to be seen as a serious issue because excessive prolonged drinking is a serious problem.
When it comes to your love life, it is commonly known that alcohol can help us loosen up, but having too much can set the mood and yet will definitely take away the performance.
For guys, it can be difficult to get an erection, while alcohol can dull sex for women, making it less pleasurable. All of that will result in lousy, painful and pleasureless sex, which nobody wants.
5. Your question your partner and your relationship
When stressed, we’re more likely to see our partner and our relationship in a negative light, and not even be aware that it’s caused by stress. And it’s not only that you question your relationship when you’re not pleasant to be around, but your partner will also start questioning you.
Who wants to go to bed with someone whose feelings and frustrations overwhelm you?
You and your partner suffer because you feel stressed out, so relax, take a deep breath and ask yourself if it is worth it? Is it worth it to worry so much, to be under constant stress and to make you and your loved one’s lives difficult?
Take a bath, go exercise and make out with your partner – your love life will be thankful for that.