Love and longevity: The health effects of relationships. Picture by Priscilla du Preez/unsplash
As the world celebrates the month of love with a plethora of enticing events, more thought-provoking topics have emerged.
Spotlighting love and longevity on how relationships impact your health, it is explained that how you feel about yourself and the world around you is significantly impacted by relationships, especially romantic ones.
Dr. Bradley Wagemaker, medical director at Lamelle Pharmaceuticals, believes the premise that relationships affect our health makes sense when you consider the science behind it.
“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.”
A similar research indicates that those in healthy, encouraging relationships — romantic or not — produce higher levels of oxytocin, the "happy hormone" that promotes happiness, and are better equipped to handle the negative impacts of stress, anxiety and sadness.
In addition to improving immunity, speeding up the healing of illnesses and maybe extending life, being in a healthy romantic relationship also raises empathy and self-worth, and fosters more co-operative, trustworthy relationships in general.
The benefits of a good sexual life extend to general health and wellness. Increasing the amount of sex you have is a fantastic way to improve your health in many ways, from lowering blood pressure and stress levels to increasing intimacy with a partner and improving sleep quality.
“Every woman and man deserves to enjoy a healthy sex life for both their health and their pleasure,” says Wagemaker.
“That being said, many couples struggle with sex and intimacy for various reasons. These struggles include erectile dysfunction, dryness and low libido. Addressing these concerns is a big and often ignored step when it comes to building stronger relationships.”
It is suggested that 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.”
Wagemaker said that products such as Lady Prelox for women and Prelox Male Enhancement for men were 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. .
Saturday Star
anita.nkonki@inl.co.za