If you’re going through a sexual drought or considering abstaining from sex altogether, then it’s probably a good idea to find the impact it will have on your body.

And no, we’re not talking about the smile on your face from the odd orgasm or two. Sex is a physical act your body is designed to part take in, so it’s not too much of a surprise that if this stops your body will react. Aside from the emotions involved in no longer interacting with a partner like loneliness or depression, your body will go through changes to deal with the lack of sexual intercourse.

You’re not going to grow cobwebs down there, or suddenly become “re-virginized”, but there are physical benefits of having a regular sex life that you will miss out on.

1. You Won’t Tighten Up

If you thought having a break from sex would magically make your vagina tighter, then guess again. Experts claim tightness doesn’t have anything to do with how often you have sex or how many partners you have had, so abstaining won’t have any effect on that situation. What you could be at risk from is your vagina tissue not responding to arousal or insertion because it’s no longer useful to the sensation. It could mean that if you decide to start having sex again initially, it won’t be as easy as it once was and you have to work a bit harder to get your vagina relaxed.

2. There Could Be Erection Issues

Like any equipment, a penis works better if it’s in regular use and if a man abstains from sexual intercourse then he could experience some erectile dysfunction. If there’s no action for a prolonged period, it shouldn’t be so surprising that when you do try to have sex again your penis won’t be as reliable as it used to be so the more sex you have, the less chance there is of erectile problems.

3. Your Immune System Will Suffer

Yes, having sex boosts your immune system, so it stands to reason that when you abstain, your body is going to take a hit. Sexual activity in women sees the releases of a whole heap of hormones geared towards protecting the body, to help pregnant, so abstaining means you will no longer feel the benefit of these. During a dry spell, you may become prone to picking up illnesses and infections that you otherwise would have blocked.

4. A Drop in the Libido

You would think no sex would make you hornier, but according to experts a drop in sexual activity dampens the libido.Regular sex keeps people’s sexual appetite fired up and healthy, but abstinence slows down the sex drive. It could also mean that once you start having sex again, you could find it takes longer for you to respond to arousal, as your body is out of practice.

5. Higher Blood Pressure

Sex is a great stress reliever so it shouldn’t be a surprise that those not having sex are going to be more prone to high blood pressure. Stress-lowering pulses released during sexual intercourse help to calm and relax individuals, so those going without could see a rise in stress levels and it could also lessen your ability to cope with stressful situations.

6. Impact on Cardiovascular Health

Nothing gets the blood pumping like a good sex session, and abstaining means your heart will miss out on that workout. If you decided to cut out sex, you might need to consider an extra gym session or two that gives your body the same cardiovascular workout and aerobic boost as sex.

7. A Dry Spell

Just like men experiencing erectile issues, if women leave their vaginas alone for long enough there could be some issues with lubrication. Regular activity keeps your sexual organs in working order, but neglect them, and it may take longer to achieve arousal – getting the vagina and vulva wet – meaning you may need to get some additional help.

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