A recent survey of over 1,000 people showed that those who used CBD noticed a significant improvement in their sex life.
While the survey conducted by Remedy Review also showed that most participants had never even used CBD oil, of the people that did, 68% said that cannabidiol had a positive effect on their sex life. Others said it improved their overall mood and helped them to relax.
So how does it work? Using CBD to enhance your sex live doesn’t just have to involve products specifically designed to use during sex (we see you, CBD lube). Your daily drops of CBD oil under your tongue can benefit your sex life in ways you may not have ever considered.
Getting in the mood 😉
While you might think your most important sexual organ is between your legs, it’s actually located right between your ears. The human brain is the epicentre of all your sexual impulses, and it plays a huge part in how functional (or dysfunctional) our sexual response operates. The sex drive is controlled by the hypothalamus, a part of the human brain which also controls hunger, thirst and sleep (basically, all your most basic primal impulses).
But where does CBD come in? Studies show that CBD can improve cerebral blood flow, which in turn improves your cognitive performance and overall brain function, including your mood. It’s a no-brainer that being ~in the mood is a huge component of having satisfying sex. The best sex happens when you feel sexy, and a confident and happy mood is a huge component of this.
CBD and performance anxiety
Studies show how anxiety can majorly impact how efficiently your sex drive works. Stress and anxiety can cause issues with sexual dysfunction, which then causes you more anxiety, leaving you in a perpetual cycle of being very anxious and never getting laid – which only results in more anxiety. Many people also experience periodic episodes of performance anxiety, particularly in relation to sex with a new partner.
Anxiety can also cause more serious issues with sexual dysfunction such as vaginismus, a condition which causes the involuntary tightening of vaginal muscles – which makes penetrative sex painful at best, impossible at worst. While vaginismus can be triggered by physical factors such as UTIs, childbirth, and menopause, it can also be caused by emotional triggers like anxiety around sexual performance or past sexual trauma.
While studies on sexual performance and CBD are lacking, research around CBD and anxiety show that cannabidiol can help to improve both performance anxiety, as well as generalized anxiety disorder. This means that CBD can help to alleviate episodic instances of performance anxiety (like calming your nerves before a first date) as well as prolonged issues with stress that can negatively affect your sexual performance.
Get your blood pumping
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation showed that CBD had a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system, which controls the flow of blood in the body. This clinical trial showed that CBD had a direct effect on lowering tension in the arteries, which resulted in lower blood pressure and improved blood flow in the body.
Much of how our bodies function during sex is thanks to increased blood flow to the genitalia, which causes erectile tissue in the penis and the clitoris to become engorged and highly sensitive to touch (obviously in a good way).
CBD and the Menopause
Thanks to CBD’s positive effects on blood pressure and circulation, it can be particularly useful for older people who can often experience issues with sexual dysfunction. Huge stigma around older people and sexuality means that many people are unaware about how common health issues facing older people can also have a negative impact on their sexual satisfaction.
Hormonal changes during menopause can result in decreased blood flow to the vagina, which causes vaginal dryness and decreased sexual pleasure, and can also result in painful intercourse. For individuals with high blood pressure (a common complaint among older people), this can also have an adverse effect on their sex lives, as high blood pressure results in a restriction of blood flow to the genitals, resulting in issues like erectile dysfunction.
Incorporating CBD into the bedroom
On top of your daily drops of CBD oil, thanks to the recent CBD skincare boom there’s now a huge wealth of products available on the market for incorporating some cannabinoid magic into the bedroom.
For a light sensual touch for everyday wear, a CBD-infused body oil like Plaisir de Grasse is the perfect choice for making you feel just that little bit sexier, even if you’re just running errands or taking meetings. While this product is marketed as an ‘intimate oil’, be careful when slathering this all over your nether regions – Plaisir de Grasse is formulated with coconut oil, which is high in sugar and can potentially mess with a more delicate vaginal pH (which doesn’t make anyone feel sexy). Proceed with caution, and discontinue use if you notice any negative reactions.
For more intimate use, try out a CBD massage oil to use with your partner as a sensual, relaxing activity after a long hard day. A massage can be one of the easiest and most effective ways to recapture some magic and inject a fresh jolt of sensuality into your relationship if you’re stuck in a rut. We love this one by Love Honey, which is blended with skin-loving ingredients like vitamin E and sweet almond oil.
If you’re interested in taking your relationship with CBD to the next level, why not try a CBD lubricant? Lubricant is one of the most underrated players in the bedroom, and the right lube really has the capacity to make a run-of-the-mill, roll around in the sheets into a tantric love fest.
