12 surprising things that boost your libido

Increasing your adrenaline is a proven way to boost your sex drive. There are a number of ways to do this, but one of the easiest doesn’t even involve getting off the couch. When watching a scary movie, a person’s adrenaline naturally rises as a result of fear. Not to mention, watching horror movies is a great excuse to cuddle up to your partner!

Here are some of the scariest movies of all time.

If you don’t exercise enough, you’re more likely to have a low libido. But exercising excessively is not ideal either, so follow and maintain a healthy workout routine. Physical activity boosts energy, as well as serotonin, endorphins and dopamine levels while enhancing your circulation – all of which make for better sex drive and sex life.

Here are a few workouts that will get your heart pumping and sex drive back on track.

You might think that having a talk about your relationship is the least sexy thing you can do, but that’s not the case. Often, a low sex drive is the result of problems in the relationship, both inside and out of the bedroom. If you feel like your relationship is lacking passion or that your partner has hurt you in some way, your mind and body won’t be too keen on getting in the mood. Talking through these problems with your partner and coming up with a solution or compromise can get rid of those sexual blocks and increase your desire.

Here are 11 daily habits of couples in healthy relationships.

Green tea does wonders for your overall health; it can reportedly help you lose weight and keep your mind sharp. It is also a libido booster, as it contains natural chemicals that increase energy and endurance. Green tea also has caffeine, which has been shown to increase sexual desire (especially in women). But one of the reasons people love to drink green tea is because it has a calming effect, which also improves sex drive.

This is what happens to your body when you drink tea every day.

One of the easiest and most effective ways to up your sex drive is to up your intake of zinc. Hailed as the best natural libido booster, zinc works because it has been proven to increase testosterone levels in both men and women. (By libido definition, higher testosterone levels result in an increased desire for sex.) Pick up zinc supplements from your pharmacy, or eat food that is naturally high in zinc, such as lamb, chicken, spinach and pumpkin seeds.

Learn 10 ways to make vitamins and minerals work better for you.

Taking a nice bubble bath with some candles and wine nearby can make for great personal time, but it’s also a good way to increase your sex drive. Stress is one of the biggest factors that negatively affect libido, so it follows that relaxing activities are just what the doctor ordered. A calming bath is also a very sensory experience; the feeling of being enveloped in warmth, the smell of the bath bomb you’re using, the sound of splashing water…

You may never have heard of parabens before, but many consumers have been making the switch to paraben-free cosmetic products. Parabens are the chemicals that preserve your beauty products and help keep unwanted bacteria at bay. However, they have also been linked to hormonal disturbances. Parabens can raise a person’s estrogen levels, which can cause a decline in sex drive in both men and women.

Learn 7 harmful beauty product ingredients that you should swap out.

Not getting enough sleep can mess up many aspects of your life, such as energy levels, work performance and mood. And lack of sleep also means a lack of testosterone. Testosterone is the main chemical in your body that drives your libido, and studies have found that the less you sleep, the less testosterone you have. It’s hard to do when you’re caught up in the rat race of life, but getting your recommended eight hours is essential to a healthy sex life.

Not sure if you’re getting enough sleep? Here are 8 clear signs that you’re not sleeping deeply enough.

We don’t advise that you lay out under the blazing sun for hours, since that increases your risk of cancer, but taking in a healthy amount of sunlight does increase your sexual desire. First of all, it increases serotonin levels, which makes you happier in general. Secondly, it decreases your melatonin level, which is a good thing because melatonin is responsible for inhibiting your sex drive. Lastly, vitamin D works to increase your testosterone level, which is important if you want to get it on.

If you’re always working indoors, you could be lacking in the sunshine vitamin. Here are 6 signs that you’re not getting enough vitamin D.

If you don’t feel sexy, you won’t be in the mood for sex – it’s really that simple. Lack of self-confidence and self-esteem can seriously weaken your sexual desire and interfere with the pleasure you receive from sex. (This is another reason why maintaining a healthy workout regime is important.) But you should never underestimate the power of a sexy outfit! When you wear something that makes you feel confident and attractive, that confidence will translate to the bedroom.

Do you ever doubt your abilities or feel like a fraud? Imposter syndrome could be messing with your self-confidence.