Think of the day you said ‘I do’ to the love of your life, or, on the other hand, the emotional rollercoaster of a complicated relationship. One leaves you glowing, ecstatic and hopeful for the future, while the other, a stressed out, emotionally exhausted mess.
How we feel about ourselves and the world around us is significantly impacted by our relationships, especially our romantic ones. Building and maintaining strong bonds of love and connection with a partner elevate our moods and make us hopeful for the future, while a rocky relationship and subsequent breakup causes feelings of frustration, sadness, and loneliness. Both scenarios have more of an impact on our overall health and well-being than we may realise.
“The idea that relationships affect our health makes sense once you consider the science behind it all,” says Dr Bradley Wagemaker, Medical Director at Lamelle Pharmaceuticals. “For instance, we know that stress raises cortisol levels. This is normal and good for us in small does. However, the more this becomes a regular occurrence, the more susceptible we are to everything from heart attacks to low libido and erectile dysfunction.”
Similarly, studies show that people in positive, supportive relationships (romantic or otherwise) produce more oxytocin – the ‘happy hormone’ responsible for positive feelings – and are able to better manage the effects of stress, anxiety, and depression.
Enjoying a healthy romantic relationship is also known to boost immunity, disease recovery and can even add years to your life, not to mention increase self-esteem, empathy, and promote more trusting, co-operative relationships across the board.
A healthy sex life is just as beneficial to overall health and wellbeing. From improving the quality of sleep and boosting intimacy with a partner to reducing the effects of stress and lowering blood pressure, having more sex is an incredible health booster.
“Every woman and man deserves to enjoy a healthy sex life for both their health and their pleasure,” says Dr Wagemaker. “That being said, many couples struggle with sex and intimacy for various reasons. These struggles include erectile dysfunction, dryness and low libido, and addressing these concerns is a big and often ignored step when it comes to building stronger relationships.”
Making time for date nights weekly or even bi-weekly, spending a romantic weekend away without the kids, and making time to connect without distractions are all great ways to reignite the passion in the bedroom. Addressing physiological challenges to sex and intimacy, however, may require other interventions.
“Supplements are the first port of call for men and women experiencing difficulty in arousal and physical affection as these are far less invasive than medical interventions,” says Dr Wagemaker, adding that products such as Lady Prelox for women and Prelox Male Enhancement for men are great options for couples to consider. Of course, some couples may need to consult with a medical professional in the case of sexual disorders or even psychological issues that may be at play.
Falling into relationship ruts is common, but the benefits of a healthy relationship on overall health and well-being are far too significant and well-documented to ignore. Easier said than done, but by virtue of doing the work to nurture and maintain a healthy relationship, couples are doing wonders for boosting their health, happiness and longevity, not to mention promoting intimacy and trust for a stronger, more fruitful relationship.
Also see: Should you go 50/50 on the first date?
