5 Tips To Have Great Intimate Life

Was it last week, last month? Last...year? We get it: Sometimes it`s easier to give into your excuses - I`m too tired, let`s just do it this weekend, it doesn`t even feel that great to begin with. But we don`t need to tell you that sex is essential for a healthy marriage - and also a healthy you. Research shows that a happy sex life can stamp out stress, reduce heart disease risk, and even improve immunity. But enough of the non sexy talk.

Great Smell

Cucumber, licorice, and baby powder have been shown to turn women on, increasing vaginal blood flow by 13%. Pumpkin pie and lavender increase blood flow by 11%. Try this: To cap a romantic dinner, serve pumpkin pie and keep a cucumber-scented sachet next to your pillow.

Erotic Literature

Erotic literature can quickly jump-start arousal, says Carol Queen, PhD, a sexologist who works at Good Vibrations, a female-owned sex shop in San Francisco. She recommends the Herotica series, written by women, and The Diary of Anais Nin. "Perfect for anyone who`s not ready to get into bold four-letter words," says Queen.

Relaxation

Researchers at Canada`s University of British Columbia and Israel`s Hadassah University Hospital measured reactions among 24 women watching an erotic film, then again after the subjects had attended three mindfulness meditation courses. Watching the same movie, the women were markedly more turned on than during the first viewing.

Pills

Pills like Viagra increase blood flow to the genital area—something women need for arousal just as much as men do. Though the FDA hasn`t approved the pill for women, doctors can prescribe it off-label. Ask your healthcare provider if these meds might help you, too. So if your sex drive stinks because your whoopee lacks whoop or your hormones are running amok, a physical boost may reignite interest, says Laura Berman, PhD, founder of the Berman Center.

Distraction

According to brain scan research, women`s brains are naturally more active than men`s, even during sex. The reason: lower levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine. "Dopamine creates the desire to go after a reward - in this case, an orgasm," explains Anita Clayton, MD, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Virginia and author of Satisfaction: Women, Sex, and the Quest for Intimacy. Dopamine also increases the flow of sensory impulses to the genitals, essential for arousal. But low levels of dopamine caused by chronic stress or medical conditions can distract you during sex.