What Happens When You Stop Having Sex? (Answers Can Vary!)

What happens when you stop having sex? A lot of things!

And you can find out over 10 answers through this article. 

So let’s get into it!

The Good Side of Stopping Sex

Learn the benefits of abstaining from sex from your lifestyle temporarily.

1 Your overall health gains a lot of benefits.

Sex can be a fun activity for a lot of us. That’s a given fact. But sometimes, stepping away from it or abstaining for a bit can do a lot of good for your body. For instance, there’s a lower to no risk of getting pregnant if you’re a vulva owner. Regardless of whether we use protection or not, we prefer the latter much more. Pure abstinence means no unwanted babies.

There’s also a reduced risk of getting STIs and UTIs as you eliminate sex from your lifestyle temporarily. Aside from this, you’d give your body a break from sex because it can get strenuous. Whether it is rough or slow, sex can make you tired. So by halting your sexcapades, you get to replenish your energy levels. That way, the next time you do have sex, your strength and stamina are up to par, and the chances of experiencing heightened sensations are higher.

2 You get to know yourself better.

By halting any kind of sexual activity in your life momentarily, you have more time for yourself. With more privacy, you can focus more on personal reflection and growth. Use this chance to ponder on other priorities, values, and boundaries. 

Learn more about yourself at this current time and look back on the past versions of you. Consider including reflecting on your relationship and your expectations towards it too. Then, if we delve in deeper, take this time to work through your emotional issues and have more self-awareness. 

Flo even suggests masturbation to further learn more about yourself during this time (or a dry spell). That way, you can take away new learnings when you resume sexual activity with your partner.

3 There’s an opportunity to explore other self-care activities.

Yes, sexual care is self-care. But besides that, self-care can come in different forms. It can depend on your lifestyle and personal interests, anything that provides you joy and peace of mind. So when you happen to stop having sex, carve out time for those self-care activities! Whether it be dancing, exercising, trying a new restaurant, painting, etc., invest more time with them for a change.

4 There’s more space to work on non-sexual aspects.

Aside from self-care as a non-sexual aspect above, a couple who hinders sex can work on their emotional connection and intimacy with each other. From there, they’d improve on having better communication, which is a crucial aspect of having a stable relationship. Let each other know of your thoughts and allow yourselves to be vulnerable.

Then individually, they can focus on their career path and physical well-being, among many things. This shift in priority and focus can lead them to a higher sense of accomplishment and overall personal growth and satisfaction.

5 There’s less pressure on oneself.

Regarding sex, there’s that inevitable feeling of pressure we get regardless of the person we’re with. Whether it be a long-term partner or a one-night stand, we want to ensure we give them a good time. For some of us, it leads up to getting sexual performance anxiety. 

But once we abstain from sex for a bit, we would be free from discomfort and negative emotions. In the meantime, we’ll feel more at ease and alleviated to go on with our day-to-day lives.

The Bad Side of Stopping Sex

Browse through the disadvantages of removing sexual activity from your lifestyle here.

1 Important body systems may be compromised.

 

Stopping sex wouldn’t directly and instantly affect your sex life, but sex is similar to physical activity and exercise. Without such for a long period of time, it may impact our body in numerous ways.

Flo shares that in terms of your cardiovascular health, you’re more likely to get cardiovascular disease. It also can cause hormonal imbalance, in which for vulva owners, estrogen and progesterone levels are intact during sex, which can lessen your risk of getting such a disease.

As for your immune system, WebMD mentions that having sex can aid your body from possible illness. In fact, there’s a study among college students wherein through having sex once or twice a week, they’d have a higher amount of an antibody called immunoglobulin A. In other words, you’re more prone to getting sick when you avoid having sex.

2 Sexual problems can arise.

In line with health, let’s tackle one’s vaginal health first. Without sex, there’s a lack of lubrication as your muscles get thinner and tighter. So when you resume the deed, it can be painful. Especially during menopause, as added by Well+Good.

Meanwhile, for one’s prostate health, there’s a higher chance of getting prostate cancer if you don’t have sex. Specifically, WebMD mentions those men who ejaculate 21 times a month on average are at lower risk of getting such cancer.

Oh, let’s also not forget the higher possibility of having any erectile dysfunction problems for penis owners when sex is out of the equation.

3 You’re more prone to experiencing pain.

Sex is a known way to relieve any kind of pain, from sore muscles to menstrual cramps. That would be due to the endorphins released during sex, especially as we reach our o’s. Those chemicals ease the pain, relaxing our bodies a lot more. So by taking sex out of the equation, we’re more susceptible to feeling such body pain and aches.

4 You feel more anxious.

Sex is a common solution to stress-related problems, as feeling the release boosts your mood entirely. As mentioned earlier, there are hormones such as endorphins present. And there’s also oxytocin! So the less sex you have, the less hormones are released. This can then affect your mood, making you crankier, more stressed, and well, more anxious throughout your days.

5 The relationship between your partner can be in trouble.

Having sex often is a way for a couple to bond and be intimate with each other. They gain a stronger emotional connection as well. So when it happens that you stop having sex with each other, you can lose that close bond and connection. Although that depends on the degree of importance that sex has on your relationship, those who are mainly affected here are those who regularly have sex. This can pave the way for more conflicts in their relationship, from emotional detachment and stress towards one another. 

Takeaway

There are pros and cons behind the question of what happens when you stop having sex. It depends on your lifestyle and relationship with your partner. But as much as possible, your decisions should align with your own values, and that you should constantly communicate with your partner. Let each other know when you want to take a break to focus on yourself, and when you want to do the deed again.