6. Your Tolerance For Pain Will Go Down
Speaking of oxytocin, this love hormone is actually a super-powerful natural pain reliever. Lack of sex means lack of oxytocin means you’ll just have to alleviate your chronic pain symptoms with weed or Advil.
7. You May Experience Changes In Bladder Control
Sex works out your pelvic floor muscles (Kegels!) which help control the bladder. Lack of sex may weaken these muscles, resulting in wet undies. So practice your Kegels, ladies.
8. You May Actually Get Dumber
This sounds fake but it’s true! A 2014 study found that intercourse counteracts memory loss and boosts neurogenesis, the creation of fresh neurons in the brain. It also improves cognitive function by suppressing chronic stress. A growing penis is a growing brain, I always say.
9. It May Actually Lower Your Libido
The “use it or lose it” rule applies here as well. When you stop having sex your body stops craving it and your libido starts to shrivel up and DIE. Not to be dramatic, but remember to practice frequent masturbation to keep your sexual parts nice and tuned.
10. Your self-esteem might take a hit
If you find yourself in the midst of a sexual drought and begin to feel sad and ugly, know that the two may be related. As mentioned, orgasms boost serotonin and levels of endorphins and opioids, which make your brain feel happy and confident.
This is especially true if you find yourself in a sexless relationship. Worrying whether your partner has lost their sexual attraction for you and may be searching elsewhere leads to a vicious cycle of pressure and feelings of inadequacy.
11. Your dreams might get real ~kinky~
When you stop having sex—even if you’re still masturbating—that sexual repression will manifest in your dreams. Not to get all Freudian on you, but it only makes sense that those inner thoughts need to get out there somehow, and unusually sexy dreams and even orgasming during sleep is one of those ways.
This is especially true if you find yourself hooking up with strangers in your dreams. According to relationship therapist Bob Taibbi, “Dreams about strangers or acquaintances are usually a good indicator of the state of your libido: Your brain is trying to let you know that those physical needs are not getting met.”
His advice? “Find a good and safe way to help your brain out.”