These days, life feels chock full of stress, with busy schedules, mounting responsibilities, and, for many, having less and less sex. Psychotherapist Esther Perel said, “Eroticism in the home requires active engagement and willful intent.” Perel is right about having a willful intent to create a healthy sex life, but it’s often easier said than done. According to research by the National Library of Medicine, around 26.7% of premenopausal women and over 50% of menopausal women suffer from low sexual desire. Studies show 20% of men experience it as well.
In 2018, US Congress removed hemp from the federal Controlled Substances Act, legalizing hemp-derived CBD. This change led to many people discovering the benefits of CBD on overall wellness. If you’re unfamiliar, CBD is a chemical found in marijuana that does not contain the psychoactive ingredient that gets you high.
While long-term research is limited, CBD has rapidly grown in popularity over the last few years, praised for its ability to decrease anxiety and stress and enhance overall health and wellness.
But what about sexual wellness and intimacy? In this article, we’ll address the benefits of CBD for sexual wellness in both the brain and body and why it deserves a place in your bedroom.
Getting In the Mood, How Life Factors Affect Sexual Desire & Why CBD Can Help
Particularly for women, the frame of mind one’s in has a lot of power over their libido and the ability to enjoy a sexual experience. There needs to be safety and mystery, allure and trust, all at the same time. If you’re one of the countless women who are never quite “in the mood” for sex, it could be due to several factors, from life stressors to chronic anxiety to physical pain or tension.
Understanding that these factors are often the source of the issue, it’s easy to see why CBD could be beneficial to sexual wellness. CBD is a highly potent chemical that can mitigate overeager enzymes causing stress or anxiety. By lowering cortisol levels, CBD aids in one’s ability to relax, release the worries of the day, and feel open to the possibility of a positive sexual encounter. CBD is believed to decrease pain and provide tension relief throughout the body, which is essential to the body’s ability to enjoy sex and therefore, one’s desire to have it.
Harness Your Brain Power, How CBD Boosts Arousal in the Brain
Even with a “willful intent,” as Perel calls it, there are aspects of sexual desire that have nothing to do with conscious thought. Certain parts of the brain are responsible for controlling sexual arousal. Without addressing these areas, many are left to try to will their desires when, in fact, it is a hormonal and or neurotransmitters issue.
A self-reported study showed that cannabis helped increase sex drive by activating the aspects of the brain that control arousal. The CBD female arousal connection can be seen through its capacity to increase naturally-produced neurotransmitters and endorphins and culminate in a higher libido.
Addressing the Body, CBD Boosts Sensitivity, Blood Flow, and Minimizes Pain
Getting in the mood and addressing low libido in the brain is one thing, but without creating pleasure in the body during sexual experiences, sex may still feel like a chore.
A high percentage of postmenopausal women experience painful sex and discomfort due to vaginal dryness or a tightening of the vaginal opening. Luckily, CBD has shown promising results in bettering sexual functionality. Sufficient sexual function refers to the body’s ability to respond to every phase of the sexual response cycle, finding enjoyment in each stage of the sexual experience. Studies suggest that CBD reduces inflammation and pain during sex while increasing arousal and lubrication. With CBD, women can experience increased sexual desire, more enjoyable sexual encounters, and easier-to-achieve organisms.
Not Just for Women, CBD Shows Promising Results For Men’s Sexual Health
CBD is not only beneficial for women but non-binary people and men as well. CBD increases sensations throughout the body, making both men and women more sensitive to pleasure, which is important to sexual vitality.
Studies show that over 50% of men ages 40 to 70 struggle with Erectile Dysfunction or ED, and that risk increases with age. A common cause of ED comes from the other health conditions that men get in their later years, such as diabetes. These conditions can lessen or block blood flow to the penis. Young men are not immune to ED, as the Journal of Sexual Medicine reported that 26% of men under 40 also experience some form.
Ayurvedic medicine, which has been around for thousands of years, relies heavily on the sativa plant, from which marijuana and CBD are derived to improve ejaculator function. As CBD is a vasodilator, it increases blood flow throughout the body and reduces blood pressure. Knowing this, it’s safe to assume that CBD promotes better blood flow to the penis for easier achieved erections and longer-lasting sexual experiences.
Ready to Try CBD and Find True Sexual Wellness?
If you’re interested in discovering the benefits of CBD, there are a few things to be aware of. Every human is unique, and therefore should start with a small dose and build up based on their response. While the majority tolerate it well, CBD does cause mild side effects in some, so test it and gauge your reaction before taking more.
Additionally, because CBD is a vasodilator, certain medications, like blood thinners, may interact poorly. There have been some connections between CBD and decreased hormones in men and women that have the potential to decrease fertility, which is why one should always speak with a healthcare provider before trying CBD.
Find the Right CBD, Where You Buy Matters
CBD is a relatively new product and is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Consumers must have a heightened awareness of what the product contains and who makes it. While pure CBD products exist, there are a lot of companies that include alternative ingredients that can be harmful to one’s health.
Interested in learning more about CBD and personal lubricants? Contact our Make Waves White Label Team to learn more!
