Have you ever wondered how you can keep your man up? It’s all about blood flow. Proper and adequate amount of blood flow results to better, longer and stronger erections. This means you need your heart to be in its best state, because it is the organ primarily responsible for pumping blood in all the important body areas. This includes your man down south.
There are instances when your heart is in a critical situation. When this happens, your erection capabilities suffer – and you don’t even want to get started with what will happen afterwards. However, it doesn’t end with lack of blood flow. There are obvious causes why erectile dysfunction or ED happens. Check out this list and see if one – or more – of these factors is the reason why you are having issues down there.
1. Your Stressful Job
No matter how much it helps in bringing food to the table, if you constantly work in a stressful environment, then don’t expect to get it up every time the situation calls for it.
According to a survey for a site, Erectile Doctor, health workers, police officers, firefighters and food service staff, among others, are more at risk of ED. These jobs are prone to anxiety and depression, which means more drinking, smoking and taking of antidepressants. Thereafter, erection issues follow.
How To Get Over It: Take it easy on your job. Get some rest in between, maximize your breaks, and set limitations for the day. Don’t hesitate to say no when you feel you can no longer deliver a high-quality output. Try your best not to go beyond work hours, so you will have more energy when your partner is in the mood.
2. That Awful Depression
This is in relation to the first factor. Oftentimes, people think that an erection is only about blood flow. While that may be true, keep in mind that your ability to get it up also needs your brain to be in tip-top shape.
Sexual excitement starts in your head and slowly works its way down south. When you are depressed, you dampen your sexual desire, release certain hormones affecting erection and libido, and leads to erectile dysfunction.
How To Get Over It: Relax. Depression is also a mind game, so make your body feel that he is stronger. Find ways to combat your depression by reconnecting with yourself, which means getting off the hook with antidepressants. Reunite with the things you love to do, reconnect with friends, take a break, or go on a vacation if time permits. If you feel you need professional help, don’t hesitate to get it.
3. Receipts In Your Pocket
Surprised? Grocery receipts, lottery tickets, ATM receipts, and other items printed on BPA-heavy or thermal paper affects your erection in a negative way. In particular, the chemical bisphenol-A or BPA increases your body’s production of estrogen.
Too much estrogen, plus other BPA-triggered hormonal changes could harm your ability to keep it up.
How To Get Over It: This doesn’t mean you can’t have receipts printed on thermal papers. Just make sure you won’t place it in your pocket where there is direct contact. File your receipts so it will be easier to look for them in case you need it.
4. Too Much Porn
Porn does help you release those sexual frustrations every time your ladylove is not up for some action. In fact, the adult site Porn got 14 billion visitors in 2013 alone, with 1.7 million visits every hour. Did you know that too much porn could be problematic down there, too?
It gives you a boner, but porn detaches you from reality. Watching porn for hours daily changes your brain, which could lead to a serious addiction. Your body will only respond to stimulation from watching porn – and that is not a good thing.
How To Get Over It: Limit your screen time. Resist the urge to click on that bookmarked porn site. This will teach your body that pleasure is more than just watching strangers have sex. If you are interested in a particular fantasy, talk to your partner about it.
5. You Forgot To Floss
According to an Israeli research, 15 percent of men who suffer from ED also suffer from periodontitis, a severe form of gum disease.
Another study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine revealed that oral inflammation leads to a decrease in eNOS, a type of enzyme that helps produce nitric acid.
Nitric acid helps regulate blood flow and the lack of it could lead to erection problems. How To Get Over It:It pays a lot to have a good oral health. Aside from brushing your teeth three times a day, add flossing in the list of your must-do list. Pay a visit to a dentist for regular cleaning and oral checkup.
6. Bad Lifestyle Habits
Booze and smoking may make you feel calm and composed; however, too much of them could spell trouble down there. Take the case of alcohol.
A study from the University of Oklahoma showed that certain ingredients in beer and wine, such as hops and congeners trigger the production of estrogen-like substances and mess with your libido. Smoking also affects blood flow by restricting the arteries for proper movement.
How To Get Over It: Quit those bad habits. Alcohol and smoking may be tempting, especially after a long, tiring day. However, the more you indulge on these substances, the worse it could get for your man down there. Take it one day at a time. Limit alcoholic drinks to one to two bottles and kick the butt as early as you can.
7. Lack Of Sleep
How many hours of sleep do you get every night? If you are getting at least seven hours, then there’s no problem. On the other hand, lack of sleep could bring your energy down the drain and affect your man down south. Whether there is a new baby in the bedroom, too much work to do, or undue stress is getting in the way, a lack of shuteye could wreck your erections. A study from the University of Chicago revealed that sleeping for five hours or less every night reduces your testosterone levels by 10 percent.
How To Get Over It: Sleep is essential in production of testosterone. At the same time, it helps your body recharge and recover to give you more energy the following day.
Establish a sleeping routine such as taking a warm bath, listening to a relaxing music, reading a book, and turning down the lights. Simple sleeping routines could help you get at least six to eight hours of sleep every night.
8. Too Much Time Indoors
How often do you go out under the sun? If you rarely see Mr. Sun every morning, then this could be the reason why your erection abilities suffer. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in testosterone production. Researchers from Germany and Austria discovered that lack of sun exposure could reduce your T levels by 20 percent. This is crucial because aside from proper blood flow, your body needs testosterone to function well.
How To Get Over It: Spend enough time outdoors. It only takes 10 to 15 minutes everyday to get your daily dose of vitamin D. Make sure to go out between seven and nine in the morning,or after 4 p.m., since the sun’s ultraviolet rays are less harmful compared to the middle of the day when the sun is at it’s peak.
9. Extra Plate For Dessert
Who doesn’t want dessert? A slice of cake or a piece of chocolate is tempting. Even a can of soda could help you feel better. However, too many sweets could increase your blood’s glucose levels and stimulate the release of insulin.
When this happens, your body’s testosterone production speeds up and makes it harder for your man down there to get up.
How To Get Over It: Take it easy on the sweets, no matter how tempting they are. This also adds extra weight, which could affect your T levels, as well. Start by limiting your consumption and lowering the servings for dessert. Discipline is a must.
10. Too Many Pavement Exercises
Regular exercise is important to keep your weight and overall health at bay. Going to the gym might be your first option. However, gym memberships and workload have love-hate relationship.
You can opt for other exercise options such as running, biking, spinning classes or horseback riding. Here’s the problem: researchers from University of British Columbia revealed that running at least 40 miles every week could lead to a testosterone drop by 17 percent. Biking for longer hours could also affect your pelvic floor muscles, which are makes your nerves vulnerable to desensitization.
How To Get Over It:This doesn’t mean you should stop this form of exercise. Explore other options that don’t require pavement. If you insist on doing this type of exercise, then limit your running or biking time to reduce the risk. Don’t forget to schedule a pelvic floor examination to assess the damage, if any. At the end of the day, it’s all about making better choices not just for your man down there, but also for your overall health. Having an erection issue is a sign that something is going on inside your body. Start making better, healthier choices and your erections will follow.