Nothing kills an erection like the 2020 Presidential Election.
Our sex drive is one of the first things to suffer when we’re under stress. Sweaty palms, a racing heart and increased cortisol production are just some of the byproducts of an overactive parasympathetic nervous system or ‘PNS’ (the one responsible for ‘fight-or-flight’). The PNS response serves an evolutionary purpose – helping our neolithic predecessors survive famine, drought or near-death experiences – but bites us in the a$$ when our greatest stress is the Erewhon check-out line. Chronic stress – the kind induced by consistent anxiety or dread – increases the production of your primary stress hormone, cortisol, and decreases the production of testosterone, the hormone responsible for a healthy, functioning sex drive.
Between a global pandemic, our current political clusterf*ck, the final season of KUWTK and the never-ending pile of dishes in the sink, it’s no wonder our libido is feeling low. Fear not sexy souls – we’ve compiled five ways to naturally increase your sex drive below.
Dealing with stress should be your numero uno priority if you’re looking to get your sex drive back on track. Reducing the amount of cortisol in your system can assist in the maintenance of a healthy libido; increasing feel-good hormones like dopamine and oxytocin, regulating menstrual cycles in women (essential for hormone health!) and increasing testosterone in men. We love using a combo of mindfulness techniques (more on this later) and nutritional support including Vitamin D supplements, adaptogens such as ashwaganda and reishi as well as passionflower and lavender extracts.
There are all manner of tonic herbs and medicinal mushrooms that can prime your pleasure receptors and stimulate feelings of bliss. Schizandra is one of our faves – this bright red berry can increase endurance and stamina, dilate blood vessels to assist with erectile dysfunction and increase sensitivity in women’s genitals. Sounds like fun, huh? Maca, pine pollen, shatavari – and for the more adventurous, deer antler – are also super useful for increasing sex drive.
Mindfulness techniques deserve a place in your pleasure toolkit (next to vibrators, organic lube and Fungirl chocolate, obviously). Meditation, mindful movement and body exploration can increase your sensory awareness, contributing to a heightened state of pleasure and sensuality whilst decreasing stress levels (and that pesky cortisol!). Next time you have a moment to yourself, try a self-loving breast or chest massage, or, better yet, mindfully masturbate (Sex Coach extraordinaire, Georgia Grace, has a must-try technique here).
According to the Journal of Sexual Medicine, when a group of 40 women practiced yoga for an hour each day, they experienced increased desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm and overall sexual satisfaction. Not only does yoga increase flexibility and pelvic muscle tone (perfect for those tricky-to-nail positions), it also boosts mood, induces relaxation and aids your mind-body connection.
With its muscle-relaxing magnesium content and serotonin-inducing superpowers, cacao is your sex drive’s ride-or-die. When you combine rich, fair-trade cacao with Lion’s Mane (like we do erryday), you get a brain-enhancing, stress-reducing full-sensory treat. That’s right ladies and gents, Fungirl works wonders for your sex drive. Buy a bar (or twenty). Shop now.
Written by Sarah Frish