9 Things that happen to your body! CHECK BELOW

If you’re going through a period of sexual abstinence, then beware. Contrary to popular myths, your vagina won’t grow cobwebs, tumbleweeds won’t roll across your pelvic floor, and you won’t need a crowbar to get intimate again. However, there are some physical consequences of going without sex for a while, mostly related to the absence of the health benefits sex can offer.

Lifelong celibacy is different from stopping sexual activity after experiencing it. Studies, such as the ongoing Nun Study that examines the health of a group of American nuns, show varied impacts. If you’ve had sex before and now you aren’t, the effects are more about missing those health benefits than anything else.

Here are nine things that happen to your body after you stop having sex:

9 Things that happen to your body! CHECK BELOW

1. Can Your Vagina Tighten? Abstaining from sex does not make your vagina “tighter.” This is an urban myth. The sensation of tightness in your vagina is not influenced by your number of sexual partners, and taking a break doesn’t re-virginize you. The tissues may need to be coached back into relaxing in response to arousal or insertion, but they’ll remember. According to Dr. Jordin Wiggins, people who don’t have sex for a long period may experience pelvic floor muscle atrophy, leading to issues like vaginismus. She suggests seeing a pelvic floor physiotherapist or using a pelvic floor trainer.
2. Can You Develop Erectile Dysfunction? Abstinence seems to increase the likelihood of erectile dysfunction, particularly in older individuals, as regular sexual activity positively affects erections. Regular ejaculations might also help avoid prostate cancer, but this can be achieved through masturbation.
3. Can It Affect Your Immune System? Sexual activity boosts immune function, and the absence of sex might make you slightly more prone to illnesses. However, other activities like meditation, yoga, sufficient sleep, a healthy diet, and physical activity can also boost your immune system.
4. Can Your Libido Decrease? According to Dr. Wiggins, the “use it or lose it” theory applies to libido. Regular good sex increases the desire for more. If you don’t have sex for an extended period, you might become comfortable without it. Masturbation can help maintain your sex drive by releasing mood-boosting hormones.
5. Can It Affect Your Mental & Physical Health? Regular sex can reduce stress and protect against heart conditions. The absence of sex might lead to increased stress reactions. Dr. Wiggins notes that people might feel more agitated without sex due to its ties to mood and hormone release. Finding other ways to boost these hormones, like exercise or socializing, can help.
6. Can It Hurt Your Cardiovascular Health? Good sex is linked to cardiovascular health. While the absence of sex removes that boost, engaging in other physical activities like exercise can maintain heart health.
7. Can It Make It Hard to Get Wet? Regular sex helps maintain lubrication. Without it, you might need extra help with arousal. However, Dr. Horton notes that this is more likely due to decreased estrogen associated with menopause than a lack of sex.
8. Can It Lower Your Risk of UTIs and STIs? Abstinence can reduce your risk of UTIs, which are often caused by bacteria transfer during sex. While it also reduces STI risk, you can still contract some STIs through nonsexual contact.
9. Can It Make You… Less Smart? Contrary to the myth that abstinence makes you smarter, sexual activity actually boosts neuron growth in the brain’s hippocampus. Abstinence doesn’t promote brain growth, and increased productivity during a sex break likely means you’re bored, not smarter.