Does Exercise Affect Sex Drive? And How Can I Prevent Premature Ejaculation?

And for increased pleasure, Kent is also a fan of exercises that strengthen the pelvic floor muscles (both men and women have them), which can increase the pleasure of orgasm for both sexes due to a heightened sexual sensation. Probably the most well-known pelvic floor exercise is the Kegel: Identify the muscles you’d use to stop urine midstream, then squeeze and hold those muscles for 10 seconds followed by a 10 second release. The great thing about Kegels is that you can do them just about anywhere. Other options: planks, swimming laps and diaphragmatic breathing. ​

How can I prevent premature ejaculation?

Premature ejaculation (PE) can mean sex pretty much shuts down before it gets a chance to begin.

What is PE and what is just a very quick quickie? Urologist and sexual health expert Joshua Gonzalez defines PE as ejaculating within one minute of vaginal penetration. The “normal” length of time to orgasm and ejaculate, he says, is five to seven minutes. Is PE common? Yep. A widely cited University of Chicago research study shows that roughly 30 percent of men 50-65 experience PE. The incidence drops a bit after the age of 65 to between 22 and 28 percent. There is limited research on PE and anal penetration, but a review of the results found that gay men, across age demographics, have less of an issue with PE but a greater incidence of erectile dysfunction.

The causes behind PE aren’t fully understood, but Gonzalez suggests first ruling out any medical issues with your doctor — among them, endocrine complications, hormonal problems, issues with the pituitary gland and prostate, and depression. Other considerations: Are you taking any new meds? When the issue first started, had anything changed for you physically or emotionally?

Absent a medical reason, PE generally happens when you’re feeling anxious or excited about experiencing pleasure connected to the penis, notes Tameca Harris-Jackson, a sex therapist and sexuality educator certified by the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists.

Solutions and strategies. There are no FDA-approved drug treatments for PE, but Gonzalez says some patients apply a numbing cream to the top of the penis to help desensitize it. One other possible pharmaceutical fix that Gonzalez and other urologists sometimes recommend: an off-label use of Paxil, an antidepressant with side effects including delayed ejaculation. Consult your doctor before using any medicine, including off-label. It can also be helpful to desensitize yourself by masturbating and ejaculating before having sex with your partner, according to Harris-Jackson. Then choose how you want to move into sex: resting together, engaging in mutual masturbation, pleasuring your partner. “This allows you to build up another sense of arousal and a time when you can just be present with your partner.”