Failing to get an erection during sex can be quite embarrassing, and it can ruin the mood and leave your sex partner unsatisfied. What should you do to avoid finding yourself in this kind of situation? Are there tips and tricks on how you can get erections that are hard, strong, and can blow your sex partner’s mind away?
What is erectile dysfunction?
Erectile dysfunction is a common sexual health problem in men. It is a medical condition in which a man has trouble sustaining an erection and maintaining an erection that is firm and long-lasting for sex. Its most common symptoms are persistent:
– Difficulties getting an erection for sex despite receiving sexual stimulation
– Difficulties sustaining an erection for sex until their sex partner is satisfied
– Inability to orgasm
– Decline in libido or sexual desire
If you encounter difficulties with your erection once in a while, you should not worry and panic. Erectile problems strike a lot of men from time to time, and that is perfectly normal. However, if the problem happens very frequently and is an ongoing thing, medical attention is necessary as soon as possible.
Erectile dysfunction is caused by different things, and can sometimes be a warning sign of some underlying condition that requires treatment immediately.
What should you do to protect your erections?
Living with erectile dysfunction is difficult, and it can negatively impact your physical health and mental health. There are many common habits and practices that you may think are okay, but can actually seriously harm and damage your sexual function.
Below are things you should NOT DO if you want to protect your erectile health:
Smoke
Smoking does not offer anything beneficial to the body. It only exposes you to different substances and compounds that can impair your vital organs and systems.
Cigarettes and tobacco contain nicotine, tar, and others that can disrupt blood circulation in your body, restricting blood flow to the different parts of your body, particularly your penis. If your penis does not get enough blood, getting a strong and long-lasting erection may not happen.
Smoking can also damage your respiratory system, and increase your risk of chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, emphysema, and lung cancer. It can make you more likely to have other diseases too, such as stroke, heart disease, aortic aneurysm, and cataracts.
Eat unhealthily
Your diet plays a key role in your sexual health. If you eat lots of nutrient-dense foods, you can give your body the essential vitamins and minerals that it needs to carry out all its important functions, including testosterone production, which is crucial in the quality of your erections.
Having normal testosterone levels ensures that your erections are top-notch and your sex drive or libido is high, making your sexual encounters a lot more fun and enjoyable.
Examples of foods that can help enhance erections are bananas, watermelon, pomegranate, spinach, tomatoes, ginger, pork, oysters, salmon, cherries, nuts, dark chocolate, garlic, onion, peppers, and kale.
Live a sedentary lifestyle
Your level of physical activity can influence your erections too. Various studies have found that men who have a regular workout routine are less likely to experience difficulties getting hard than men who spend 8 or more hours a day just sitting around and not doing anything physical.
Through exercise, you can enhance your strength, stamina, and endurance, boost your testosterone levels, build stronger and healthier bones and muscles, and improve your blood circulation and heart health.
If you want to start becoming more physically active but do not know where to start, you can walk your dog around the block at least once a day, use the stairs (rather than the elevator or escalator) at work or department stores, and run for 20 to 30 minutes at least 3 times a week.
Neglect your mental health
There exists a connection between your mental health and your sexual health. If your mental health is poor, your sexual health will follow suit. Being always stressed or having depression or anxiety can mess up your sexual desire and libido, and make it difficult to enjoy your sexual encounters.
It is crucial that you go see a therapist or mental health professional at the earliest opportunity to find out how to treat your problem and not endanger your sexual health and overall health.
Some natural ways to improve your mental health are increased physical activity, which triggers the release of more happiness hormones or endorphins and eating lots of foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and essential nutrients.
Drink alcohol excessively
Heavy alcohol drinking is bad for your penis and erections. The substances found in alcohol can prevent sufficient amounts of blood from flowing to your penis, making it difficult to get and keep an erection.
They can also raise your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, cause damage to your heart and cardiovascular system, endanger your liver and digestive organs, and increase your risk of liver disease, stroke, heart attack, liver cancer, colon cancer, and other diseases, ruining not only your sex life but also other aspects of your health.
For optimal sexual health, you should follow the moderate alcohol amount for healthy adults that health professionals recommend. For men, drinking a maximum of two drinks a day is the limit, and for women, it is one drink a day.
Use drugs
Intake of prohibited or illicit drugs can lead to various health problems and complications. It can weaken your immune system, increase your risk of infections and illnesses, impair your heart function, damage your liver, and make you prone to strokes, seizures, and brain damage.
It can also lower your testosterone levels, which can lead to reduced sex drive, lower sperm count and quality, and erectile issues.
If you have a drug problem, you should seek counseling, therapy, or rehabilitation. The sooner you get help for it, the better it is not only for your erections but also for your overall health and wellbeing.
