As the year ends, many women pause to reflect on their health, emotions, and relationships. Yet sexual wellness does not get the attention it needs. Not many people realise that intimacy is deeply connected to a woman’s stress levels, hormonal balance, emotional state, and overall vitality.
Modern women wear multiple hats. One minute she’s a professional, another, a caregiver, and then, a partner. Ruchika Rajbans, Founder, Vitagoli, says, “All without a pause. Chronic stress, inadequate sleep, nutritional gaps and hormonal fluctuations quietly affect libido, arousal, comfort, and emotional closeness. Biologically, elevated stress hormones can disrupt oestrogen and testosterone balance, which play a key role in female sexual wellbeing. When the body is overwhelmed, intimacy naturally takes a back seat and eventually leaves the room.”
She says, “Rather than treating these changes in desire or comfort as personal shortcomings, they should be seen as signals. Signals that the body needs support, nourishment, rest and emotional safety.”
To end the year on a great note, ask these useful questions: How stressed have I been? Am I rested? Do I feel emotionally connected to myself?
Sexual Wellness Is Not Separate From Your Day-to-day Life
Simrat Kathuria, Celebrity Dietician & Wellness Coach, says, “At the end of the year, we tend to have a longer sexual wellness evaluation to be aware of each other rather than looking at it as a performance job as we did in the beginning of the year. All the different pressures of the year, including long work hours, stress, and digital overload, can greatly impact desire and intimacy with others.”
“In addition, health and hormones affect the desire, including; lack of sleep, improper nutrition, an inability to exercise (or lack of fitness), and being impacted by hormones (the male and female hormones can be affected by these). The end of the year supports that reduced desire is a sign of a need to communicate about emotional issues instead of a problem. Sexual wellness is not separate from your day-to-day life; rather, it represents how well you feel emotionally connected to your partner, how safe and relaxed you are, and your mental state. When dealing with the stress of work and making the right healthcare decisions about your partner, your desire will return because it is based on the emotional connection rather than the feeling of pressure.”
Stress Can Lower Your Sex Drive
Dr Renu Sehgal, Chairperson, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Artemis Hospitals, says, “As the year comes to an end, it is a good time to pause and reflect on your sexual wellness. Sexual health isn’t just about being physically close to someone, it’s also closely related to stress levels, general health and hormonal balance. Stress can lower your sex drive, make you tired and make intimacy feel like a chore instead of a connection when it becomes a part of your daily life. Stress at work, money problems and not getting enough sleep can all have a negative effect on sexual health without you even realising it.”
Your overall health is also important. Conditions like diabetes, thyroid problems, heart problems and even getting sick a lot can make you tired and less confident which can affect your ability to be intimate. Mental health is just as important. When you’re anxious, depressed, and burned out it can be harder to feel close to your partner. Hormones are also very important. Changes in estrogen, testosterone and cortisol levels can change how you feel about intimacy, your mood and how comfortable you are during intimacy. Age, stress, a bad diet and not getting enough sleep can all cause these changes.
When women prioritise holistic health by managing stress, supporting hormones, and addressing nutrition, intimacy will and should restore itself naturally. Sexual wellness and overall wellbeing go hand in hand. Acknowledging this truth allows women to move into the New Year feeling more confident, connected and in tune with themselves.
(Views expressed by experts in the articles are their own; Zee News does not confirm or endorse the same. This article is meant for informational purposes only and must not be considered a substitute for advice provided by qualified medical professionals. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about diabetes, weight loss, or other medical conditions.)