Spice up your sex life during coronavirus lockdown. According to research by OnBuy, nearly half of the couples who isolated themselves together said they had less sex since the lockdown began. The survey was made of 1,360 people between the ages of 18 and 45. It also found that 41% of the women were unhappy with their sex life; while 60% believed that it was necessary to give it more life.
Meanwhile, condom sales have dropped dramatically, according to Durex. Social distancing is negatively impacting «intimate relationships,» said Laxman Narasimhan, CEO of Reckitt Benckiser, the company that owns the condom brand.
It’s a theory that holds up, according to psychosexual therapist Janice Hiller. «It’s a neurochemical thing. When we feel fear and anxiety, our nervous system prepares us for a fight, flight, or freeze response: we go into protection mode. We need a different part of the nervous system to engage and feel aroused and want to have sex«.
Then there’s the familiarity aspect: the fact that couples who isolate themselves together don’t have the space or time to lose and desire each other. «There is not enough distance,» says Hiller. «On top of that, we’re missing the feeling good aspects of going out and seeing friends. We feel happier and more motivated, and then we get that feeling back and want to share it with our partner. Feeling sexual has a lot to do with how we feel about ourselves and our relationships, and we don’t feel so good when we haven’t had those experiences. »
Spice up your sex life during confinement
If you are not in a good place emotionally with your partner, that is likely to be reflected in your sex life. Alix Fox advises starting with a compassionate conversation to get things back into more positive, connected, and comfortable territory. “The excellent sex therapist Sarah Berry taught me how helpful it can be for couples to separate different emotions into ‘jars’; to help them ‘pour out’ their feelings in a calm, structured way that is less likely to end in tears or other burning, «she says.» First, discuss the things that scare you respectively. Then, ‘empty the jar’ of all the things that are driving you crazy, then sad and finally happy. »
It’s important to remember that there is much more to sex than genitals, according to Ms. Fox. “The massage exchange is relaxing, sensual and bonding, but for a playful twist, try a ‘Texture Tour.’ Blindfold your partner, then gently stroke, roll, and press the skin all over the body with items you’ve collected around the house with different textures: a cold metal fork; a velvet cushion; the tie of a tunic; a leather glove; a spiked tumbler ball. »
In particular, toys that can be controlled remotely via an app, which could attract couples who break up with each other during quarantine, have seen an increase in sales. Role-playing and BDSM-related articles, «which speak to bored couples looking for something new or couples finally having adventures that have been on their wish list,» have also seen a surge in popularity. Sales of a Bondage sets for beginners, for example, have skyrocketed by 4.54%.