Can Exercise Increase Your Sex Drive?

Exercise has a lot of health benefits. It pumps up your heart rate. It strengthens your muscles. It might even lift your spirits. But what can exercise do for you in the bedroom?

“Exercise is incredibly beneficial for overall health,” says pelvic floor physical therapist Erika Lydon, PT, DPT. “Exercise can improve things like cardiovascular health, strength, stress levels, sleep and mental health — all things that support sexual desire and sexual function.”

Here’s how physical activity can help boost your sex drive.

How exercise impacts sexual desire

Libido isn’t controlled by just one factor. Your interest in sex can depend on a combination of:

• Physical health
• Mental and emotional well-being
• Hormone levels
• Relationship dynamics
• Daily habits and lifestyle choices

Regular physical activity can support sexual desire in several ways, from improving blood flow and sleep to regulating hormones and reducing stress. Let’s take a closer look at how exercise can impact these areas of your life.

Better cardiovascular health

Aerobic exercise gets your blood flowing. And when you have healthy blood flow, your sex life can benefit.

A healthy sex life often depends on healthy blood flow. And regular aerobic exercise can strengthen your heart and blood vessels, making it easier for blood to reach your sexual organs.

For men, healthy circulation plays an important role in getting and maintaining erections. For women, improved blood flow supports arousal and sexual function.

Dr. Lydon recommends that most people aim for 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week (or 75 minutes of vigorous activity), along with two days of strength training.

Less stress, more desire

Stress can kill the mood for anyone, especially if it’s a constant factor that never really goes away.

Finding balance in your nervous system is essential when it comes to stress. When we’re in a stressed state, our sympathetic (fight-or-flight) nervous system is more active, helping us respond to that stress. On the other side, our parasympathetic nervous system is active in relaxation, rest and recovery.

“With chronic stress, it can be challenging for the body and nervous system to shift into a state that supports sexual interest and function,” explains Dr. Lydon.

“Finding and practicing stress management strategies that work for you can help maintain a flexible and balanced nervous system, and it can help create a better environment for improved libido.”

Exercise can help lower stress hormones, like cortisol, while increasing feel-good brain chemicals, like dopamine and serotonin. Those combined effects can make it easier to relax, improve your mood and increase your interest in sex over time.

Increased strength and healthy hormone levels

Strength training offers benefits beyond just building muscle. It also helps regulate hormones that play a big part in your ability to have and enjoy sex.

Dr. Lydon often suggests compound exercises like squats, lunges, deadlifts and push-ups that target multiple muscle groups all at the same time.

“Training large muscle groups with compound exercises helps build strength efficiently and functionally by using movements that closely match how we use our bodies every day,” she says.

“Strength training can support the hormone systems involved in metabolic health, energy, body composition and stress regulation — all of which can create a better environment for a healthy libido and sexual performance.”

Better pelvic floor function

Pelvic floor muscles help support your ability to have sex. Strengthening them can help sometimes. But when your pelvic floor muscles are too tight or can’t relax, it can make it hard to have sex, and may even be painful.

“Kegels aren’t for everyone,” clarifies Dr. Lydon. “Strengthening may be beneficial for some, but for others, it may create or worsen muscle tension in the pelvic floor.”

If you overdo it, they can tighten your pelvic floor even more.

If you’re having concerns about sexual performance, make an appointment with a healthcare provider or pelvic floor physical therapist before doing pelvic floor exercises on your own.

More confidence and energy

Exercise can give you more stamina, help you sleep better and make you feel stronger in your body, improving your mood and confidence. And when you feel better overall, you may feel more comfortable with intimacy and more interested in sex.

What types of exercise are best for improving your sex drive?

Improving your sex life often takes more than one approach. There isn’t a cure-all exercise routine that works. Instead, aim for a balanced routine that includes several different kinds of exercises:

• Aerobic exercises: Walking, jogging, swimming and cycling can all improve cardiovascular health and boost blood flow.
• Strength training: Resistance exercises, like TRX workouts and weightlifting, can help maintain muscle mass and support healthy hormone levels.
• Yoga: “Studies on women’s sexual health have shown yoga and other mind-body movements, like tai chi, can help make small improvements in sexual function and strengthen the brain-muscle connection needed for arousal,” shares Dr. Lydon.
• Sports and group activities: Joining recreational softball, pickleball or even dancing can get you moving while also providing a social connection — another important contributor to emotional well-being.

How much exercise is needed?

You don’t have to become a marathon runner or bodybuilder to get extra mileage in the bedroom. If you’re currently inactive, start with what you can do and don’t overthink it.

Dr. Lydon recommends beginning with something you enjoy, even if that’s a 15-minute walk around your neighborhood, maybe even a couple times a day.

“If you hate exercising or going to classes, explore the physical activities you love doing or try something new and see how it feels,” encourages Dr. Lydon. “Physical activity, even a couple times a week, can potentially benefit your sex life and overall health over time.”

As your fitness gradually improves, add a few extra minutes each day until it becomes a regular part of your routine.

“You may start to notice immediate results, like improved sleep, lower stress levels or improved mood,” she continues. “With regular exercise, it may take several weeks to a few months to notice physical changes, like feeling stronger or having better control over your movements and changes in sex drive.”

Other healthy habits that support libido

Exercise is just one piece of the libido puzzle. Lifestyle changes and healthy habits go a long way to making you feel good about your body and your sex drive. Dr. Lydon recommends:

• Prioritizing good sleep
• Eating a balanced diet
• Limiting alcohol
• Avoiding tobacco and other substances
• Managing stress in healthy ways

Because libido is influenced by so many factors, improving your overall health can often improve your sexual health, too.

Move within reason

Regular exercise can be a powerful way to support your sex drive, but it’s not your only option. Dr. Lydon warns not to overdo it or rely solely on exercise to boost your sexual performance.

“Too much exercise, especially when paired with inadequate recovery and nutrition, can become another form of physical stress which can potentially affect libido,” she cautions.

If you’re exercising regularly and continue to struggle with low libido or sexual function, talk with a healthcare provider. They can help identify whether the issue may be related to hormones, medications, stress, pelvic floor function or another underlying condition.