And exercise-induced good sex isn’t just for those already on the team. A study from the Archives of Sexual Behavior showed that previously inactive men who participated in three to five hour-long workouts a week had significantly improved sex lives.
Pump It Up
In addition to feeling good, moving around helps keep our sexual parts running like well-oiled machines. Exercise activates the sympathetic nervous system, which increases blood flow to the genital region. A 2003 study found that women were more sexually responsive following twenty minutes of cycling. Not only did exercise increase arousal, but it also seemed to prime the pump: the women were able to get aroused quicker after exercise.
And one of the biggest bedroom problems for older men—erectile dysfunction—can be greatly improved with exercise.
ED is a problem of blood flow to the penis, so exercise, which improves cardiovascular health, can also reduce impotence problems. A 2000 study published in the journal Urology followed 600 men for nine years and found that men who maintained or started exercising in middle age reduced their risk of impotence compared to sedentary men. A 2003 study in the Annals of Internal Medicine had similar results, showing that active men had a 30 percent lower risk of impotence than men who were inactive. And those already experiencing ED can possibly improve their situation with exercise. A 2004 study published in Journal of the American Medical Association found that regular exercise and reduced calorie diets improved ED in obese men. Though certainly the makers of Viagra don’t want to hear it, getting the heart pumping may get you off the blue pills.
Hard, but Not Too Hard
Yet, as someone who is in the midst of training for a half Ironman triathlon, it seems there is an obvious drawback to clocking numerous hours of athletics—when you hit the hay, sometimes sleep, not sex, takes precedence. And in fact, overtraining can reduce sexual desire and testosterone levels. But let’s face it, most Americans aren’t overtraining; the majority of people don’t even get the recommended thirty minutes of exercise a day.
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