The time you spend working out can have unexpected payoffs when you're tangling the sheets. And understanding the link can help you achieve more explosive results—in the bedroom and the weight room.
Over the past few years, researchers have made some important discoveries about the body and brain connections of sex and exercise. "Being physically active seems to be a potent aphrodisiac for women," says Tina M. Penhollow, Ph.D., an associate professor of health promotion at Florida Atlantic University, who has published research on how exercise affects sexual self-esteem.
BOOSTS FOCUS
All too common: He's kissing your neck, but you're thinking about that major work deadline. Exercise can help sync your mind to your body, as well as quiet your racing brain so you can focus on the task at hand, says Lori Brotto, Ph.D., director of the Sexual Health Laboratory at the University of British Columbia in Canada.
ACCELERATES AROUSAL
Studies have shown that women who frequently exercise become aroused more quickly and are able to orgasm faster and more intensely. University of Texas at Austin researchers found that female study participants were 169 percent more aroused (as indicated by blood flow in genital tissue) while watching a short porn flick after 20 minutes of vigorous cycling than when they watched it without riding beforehand. When you get excited, blood surges into the clitoral bulbs, making the entire region around the vagina responsive to pleasure. Cardiovascular exercise can help blood pump faster to the right parts of your body; it can also reduce chronic inflammation, which can damage blood vessels and decrease circulation, putting a damper on your sexual bliss.
BUILDS STRONGER PIPES
A healthy pair of lungs helps express your elation with more gusto, of course, but you'll have a lot more to scream about if you learn to control your breath. Partners who breathe in tandem may create a bigger buildup, which can intensify pleasure. And women who take short, quick breaths as they reach climax—rather than holding their breath—may reduce carbon dioxide in the blood, possibly intensifying vaginal contractions. Yoga can help women focus on their breathing, while high-intensity interval training increases lung capacity—which ensures you'll be vocalizing your gratification through the grand finale.
Article Source Women'sHealth
