Sexual novelty and routines are both important aspects of sexual relations. Novelty refers to newness, unpredictability, variety, surprise, change, creativity, difference, uniqueness, and diversification. Routine implies predictability, familiarity, consistency, repetitiveness, reliance, expectation, structure, and continuation. Sexual novelty can enhance desire for sex, increase arousal during sex, intensify orgasms, and improve relational satisfaction through exciting one's partner and self. But it may also be stressful, disruptive, confusing, or scary. Novelty is especially beneficial when used intermittently, rather than constantly or infrequently.
Changing locations, positions, times, partners, stimulants, devices, clothes, activities, themes, environments, and fantasies can all add excitement and novelty to sex.
Routine can sustain intimacy, build trust, establish rhythm, and help one relax after work. It enables couples to get to know each other better, learn their partner's preferences, develop comfort and safety, and maintain stable and consistent relationships.
Routine can also lead to boredom, predictability, dullness, monotony, staleness, sameness, ritualization, habit, automatism, or rigidity. It can create a sense of routine, which can make it difficult to break out of old patterns. Couples may feel stuck in a rut or lose interest in sex. When this happens, they may need to experiment with new things or even try other people.
Sexual novelty and routine have different effects on desire, arousal, and relational satisfaction. Novelty can bring excitement, adventure, intensity, spice, variety, surprise, and change, but it can also cause confusion, stress, anxiety, pressure, uncertainty, guilt, jealousy, or shame. Routine can provide stability, consistency, familiarity, reassurance, security, ease, predictability, and reliability, but it can also lead to complacency, boredom, monotony, staleness, disengagement, disenchantment, or dissatisfaction. The balance between these two factors is crucial for healthy and fulfilling sexual relations.
What is the impact of sexual novelty versus routine on desire, arousal, and relational satisfaction?
Sexual novelty and routine are two opposite ends of a continuum that can have different effects on desire, arousal, and relational satisfaction. While sexual novelty has been shown to increase excitement and intensity during sexual encounters, it may also lead to feelings of anxiety or insecurity due to unfamiliarity with new experiences.