Smoking and sex. As far as researchers and studies are concerned, the answer is a solid yes. Smoking is not only dangerous for your overall health, but your sexual wellness and sexual health as well. The Vibes team has put together a few key facts to help you be motivated to kick this dangerous and unhealthy habit. Keep reading to find out more!

Smoking and the effects on male and female sexual health:

Men may experience the effects of smoking in a much different way than women do, based on their physical anatomy. 

Smoking can cause permanent, irreversible damage to blood circulation throughout the body. This can cause long term health problems like heart disease, heart attacks, and even stroke. Did you know these circulation issues can also be the cause of erectile dysfunction? Well, add it to the list. An erection is made possible through blood vessels in the penis that enlarge and fill with blood. Smoking leads to these blood vessels being disrupted, and making it much harder to have and maintain an erection at all. The phenomenon is shown to happen in men as young as 20! Nothing kills the mood in the bedroom quite like a soft penis.

Nicotine is also shown to affect the libido in males, leading to much lower sex drives or desire to have sex. On average, studies have show that men that smoke regularly have sex less than men who dont.  Everyone wants to feel wanted, and feeling as if your partner is no longer interested in you will definitely cause some tension in anyone’s relationship. These effects may be reversible over time, though there isn’t a lot of conclusive evidence yet.

Smoking in men is also shown to lead to impotence. Tobacco use can negatively affect fertility in both men and women. According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, male and female smokers have double the infertility rate as compared to nonsmokers. Smoking is shown to damage the DNA in both men’s sperm and women’s eggs. On top of that, women who smoke are often shown to have a shorter window to get pregnant due to the chemicals in tobacco and tobacco products. These products are more than often laden with nicotine, tar, and cyanide, which can cause women to lose eggs faster, and cause a much quicker onset of menopause. This means that getting pregnant can be more difficult for either party who is smoking – and cause much unneeded stress, which snowballs to make the process even more frustrating.

If you need even more motivation, it’s found that for women, smoking is also a factor that will affect your skin’s overall health and condition. When you feel self conscious about how you look, it’s much harder to get in the mood. Your skin is more likely to break out, wrinkle sooner, and be dry. We know that smoking dehydrates your delicate facial skin, but did you know that this can also translate to the vagina? Studies have shown the women who smoke have a much harder time getting wet and maintaining that natural lubrication in the bedroom. While we always encourage lube in the bedroom for adventure and pleasure, why make it absolutely necessary for your intimate fun?

Research has shown that smoking causes men and women to be out of breath faster, which makes sex a lot less fun. You want to be breathtaken, but not winded! Long story short, it’s pretty safe that cutting out smoking (or at least cutting it down) can really help improve your sex life and sex drive!