Why Napping More And Catching Rays Can Help Boost Your Sex Drive
As a Millennial in the professional workforce, always being on the go can lead to a burnout.
Have you ever come home from work on a Friday night and not had the energy to go out with your friends, let alone Netflix and chill with your partner? Do you find this is extra hard to do in the winter months?
Well, what if I told you your sex drive could seriously improve just from napping for 20 minutes each day? (I bet your SO would thank me for that one.)
Science says taking a nap for 20 minutes every day (in addition to getting some extra sun) will not only help Generation-Y prevent sexual burnouts, but it will also increase their sex drives. Implementing strategic power naps (not exceeding 20 minutes) can restore alertness and increase hours of attentiveness/overall neurocognitive function.
In addition to taking some time each day to let your body and mind recharge, science says stepping out for some sun more often will also help in the sex department. The Vitamin D we get from the sun effects our hormones, which perfectly explains why we're so sexually flat during the colder months of the year.
So, you just need 20-minute naps once a day, plus some extra time spent in the sunshine. Sounds simple enough, right? Daily naps and added sunshine will lead to a boosted sensual drive, which then leads to a satisfied Generation-Y.
But what's the science behind all of this? Being a medical student (and generally curious human) myself, I decided to look into the science-y facts explaining how our beds and good old Mother Nature combine to make us more sexually active people.
In order to survive in the ~adulting~ world, Millennials must achieve quality sleep. Sleep maintains a balance of emotions, drawing in a sense of order and homeostasis for proper reproductive and physiological functioning by enhancing mood and perceptions of pleasure.
Sleep deprivation results in decreased quality of life, further causing a decrease in overall libido. Libido — the term used to describe overall sex drive and sexual activity — is influenced by biological, psychological and social factors, so it should come as no surprise that sleep falls into one or more of these categories.
Sleep deprivation may also cause altered mood swings, agitation, irritability, poor judgement leading to accidents and decreased cognitive performance or even anxiety and depression. So basically, lack of quality sleep could cause depression, and depression could lead to a decreased sex drive.
But what's the solution? For Millennials who want to have a healthier and happier state of mind, naps and adequate sunlight may lead to sparked lasciviousness, further paving the way for indulgences and a more positive Generation-Y.
According to science, more sunlight in the spring increases sexual appetite.
Sleep is regulated by the anterior hypothalamus in the brain, which contains the suprachiasmatic nucleus. The suprachiasmatic nucleus regulates the master clock (also known as your circadian rhythms), which then receives input from the retina to distinguish day vs. night.
Melatonin — a hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain — helps regulate sexual behaviors based on the season and amount of natural light available.
Although studies show our hormones cause a lower sex drive in the winter months partially due to lack of sun exposure, science has only speculated that melatonin plays a role in suppressing the function of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), which both contribute to your decreased sex drive during winter months.
LH stimulates leydig cells to produce testosterone, and FSH stimulates sertoli cells to regulate spermatogenesis. Together, LH and FSH (which are gonadotropin hormones) synergistically work to affect ovaries in females and testes in males.
Studies have shown that high concentrations of melatonin may have an effect on testosterone levels, possibly contributing to low sperm count and decreased testosterone. During the spring, our bodies produce less melatonin, which enhances our libidos overall. Sensual energies and exotic drives are naturally increased by rays of the sun (but don't forget to wear that sunblock to avoid UVB rays).
Although science may not have made up its mind regarding melatonin in correlation to FSH and LH, quality of sleep is still an untouchable factor in this case. Millennials must make sleep a priority, and not just an option.
By incorporating daily naps into busy schedules, Generation-Y can function at a higher level of proficiency and efficiency in both professional and personal sectors.
What science is telling us is the combination of increased quality of sleep via midday, 20-minute naps and receiving adequate sunlight can all contribute to improving your sex life. So, what are you waiting for? Go outside and take a nap.
