What Your Libido Might Be Telling You about Your Physical Exercise

See how too much gym time can be wrecking your sex life.

If you’ve ever been aroused while exercising, there’s nothing to be ashamed of. Being sexually active is a powerful aphrodisiac for both women and men.

Exercise affects various hormones in our body, such as cortisol, estrogen, prolactin, and testosterone, increasing blood flow to the reproductive organs and inflaming libido.

Testosterone is a key player in sexual desire in both men and women, while oxytocin gives the feel-good sensation when we orgasm.

Exercise also increases the serotonin levels in the body. This hormone can minimize feelings of tension and promote relaxation, improving your mood and making you feel happier.

By decreasing the tension in the body, serotonin also increases the feeling of desire and general well-being, which gives a great boost to your libido.

The best part is that you only need to do 30 minutes of exercise three times a week to feel the effects.

I’m sure you’re thinking, “Oh great! Let me fire up and have more sex.” While that might be a great idea, hold that thought for a moment.

You’ve heard that too much of anything hurt you, right? Well, this also applies to exercises.

Sex and exercise — what you do not know

It is no secret that exercise increases our sexual desire. However, high-intensity trainers have testified that too much exercise kills their sex drive.

If your libido is dropping, you may need to look into the level of exercise you do regularly.

High volume endurance exercise lowers testosterone levels in both men and women by 20–40%.

Athletes who run a marathon, half-marathon, and triathlon in a single year, complained that their sex drive tanked after hours combining strength, bodyweight resistance, and cardio five days a week.

In men, the pituitary hormones FSH and LH produced in the brain are reduced, reducing the stimulation of the testes to produce testosterone.

While female athletes may experience irregular menstrual cycles and a high amount of toned pelvic floor known as the hypertonic, which tends to cause pain during penetration.

To protect your libido, limit intense exercise to 40–45 minutes, two or three times a week.

This level of exercise is good for your heart and lungs and will make you feel better, and help control your blood pressure.

It will lower your cholesterol levels, invariably lowers the need for insulin, reduces the risk of diabetes, and improves general mood.

If you find that your libido is low and you train more than 10 hours a week, you may want to reconsider your priorities.

But if you need a reason to step up your fitness game, see my article on what to do for better sex!

Signs too much exercise is affecting your sex drive

The most common sign of excessive workouts in women is irregular menstrual cycles. Women need a certain level of body fat for the reproductive system.

So if excessive exercise leads to low body fat, your body is essentially disrupting its ability to conceive.

In men, exercising too much can cause low libido. Men who exercise heavily may have physical fatigue and lower testosterone than those whose workouts are moderate.

That’s not all. Other obvious signs that you are overworking your body include an increased heart rate, decreased appetite, or mood swings.

You may also notice that you have insomnia. While moderate exercise can help you relax and sleep better at night, too much of it can leave you fidgeting and spinning all night due to restlessness and disturbed sleep.

If you notice your body showing any of the following symptoms, it may be time to take things slow and give it the rest it deserves by doing something that’s not that strenuous.

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