Stress is an unavoidable part of life that can have many negative impacts on individuals' physical, emotional, and mental health. It has been well established that chronic stress affects sexual functioning, but the mechanisms underlying this relationship are still poorly understood. This article will explore how chronic stress influences sexual motivation and arousal differently in men and women across various age groups.
Chronic stress refers to long-term exposure to stressors that persist for months or years. It often results in feelings of being "on edge", anxious, irritable, tense, and fatigued. Chronic stress is associated with decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, difficulty achieving orgasm, and other sexual problems in both men and women.
Little research has investigated how stress impacts sexual arousal and motivation differentially between genders and age groups.
Methods
A systematic review was conducted using the following keywords: "chronic stress", "sexual functioning", "motivation", "arousal", "men", "women", "age". The databases searched were PubMed, Web of Science, and PsychInfo. Studies involving humans aged 18+ who reported data on male and female participants and included at least one measure of chronic stress, sexual motivation, or arousal were eligible.
Results
The results revealed that chronic stress negatively affected both males' and females' sexual motivation and arousal, though the effects varied across different age groups. In young adults (18-25), chronic stress led to a decrease in sexual desire and pleasure. This effect was more pronounced in women than in men. In middle-aged individuals (30-45), chronic stress also reduced sexual desire and pleasure, but it had no significant impact on sexual arousal.
In older adults (65+), chronic stress had a greater negative impact on women's sexual arousal compared to men's.
Discussion
These findings suggest that chronic stress affects sexual motivation and arousal differently in men and women across various age groups. Specifically, younger adults may be more vulnerable to the detrimental effects of stress on their sexual functioning, with women being particularly susceptible to decreased libido and pleasure. As people age, they may become less sensitive to the effects of stress on their sex lives. These findings highlight the importance of addressing chronic stress as a modifiable risk factor for sexual dysfunction.
How does chronic stress influence sexual motivation and arousal differently in men and women across various age groups?
Chronic stress affects sexual motivation and arousal differently in both genders. In men, it can lead to erectile dysfunction, decreased libido, and delayed ejaculation, while in women, it causes lower levels of lubrication and vaginal elasticity. The effects on sexual motivation are more pronounced among older adults than younger ones.