Does Smoking Affect Your Sex Life?

Despite how progressive and open our society has become, there’s still a subject many still consider uncomfortable or taboo: our libido. That’s right, lots of people are uncomfortable talking about their sex drive, and the result is that many people don’t fully understand it – especially women. And because so much of the public conversation over libido focuses on men – see all those articles and ads for male sexual “enhancement” drugs – many women might get the impression that it’s not as important to talk about the female libido. The truth, of course, is that it is. And for women too, there are lots of things that can affect our sex drive that we might not even take into consideration and could be affecting it negatively.

One of those things? Smoking. Sure, we all know smoking can affect your general health, but can it really impact your sex life?

While the number of people who smoke has gone down in recent decades, millions still do it, and so those who have seen a dip in their sex lives might benefit from looking at how their smoking habits might be causing it. We’ve done a little research on the subject, and we’ve come up with three main ways smoking negatively affects your sex life.

1. It can make you less attractive. Despite the classic image of lighting up a cigarette as being sexy, mature, and mysterious, smoking can actually make you less attractive to potential sexual partners. How? One common side effect of prolonged tobacco use is a yellowing of the teeth, due to residue from the tobacco itself. Yellow teeth is a sign of poor dental hygiene, and so even a simple smile could cost you some attractiveness points. Frequent smokers also develop a smell from all the smoke they generate, a stench which clings in their clothing, hair, and skin. Even other smokers don’t like the smell of ashtrays, and if you smell like one yourself, people won’t want to be around you as much.

2. It affects your sexual performance. One of the cornerstones of a great sex life is the duration: the longer you can have sex, the more satisfaction you’re likely to get out of it. But that’s where smoking gets in the way. Lung damage is one of the most deleterious effects smoking has on the body, and that can affect the amount of energy and stamina we have. Because smoking coats the interior of the lungs with tar and other residue, the lungs can’t take in as much oxygen from the air and circulate it through our bodies to supply our muscles and tissues. As a result, prolonged strenuous activity – like sex – becomes harder to manage, and can lead to you spending less time having sex. If sex is less satisfying, then psychologically you might be less inclined to do it.

3. It can limit your ability to feel sexual pleasure. Lots of studies have been performed on nicotine’s effect on male arousal and erectile function, but what about women? Well, the truth is that since female sexual arousal works the same basic way, women could be affected equally badly by tobacco use. That’s because nicotine restricts the flow of blood in general, creating poor circulation. Blood flow to the female genitalia is a crucial part of arousal since it leads to the swelling of the clitoris, labia, and vagina, and the subsequent increase in sensitivity and arousal that leads to sexual pleasure. Restricting that blood flow could kill that arousal, making sex less fun.

So what are the ways to deal with improving your sex life if you’re a smoker? Well, one way is to limit your smoking, as people in studies who smoke less saw an improved sex life in comparison to those who smoked more. Cutting down will also help you in the rest of your life, and can improve your immune system and your cardiovascular health. Of course the best way to boost your sex life if you’re a smoker is to quit. It’s tough, but there’s a chance that if you undertake a plan to quit smoking through therapy, a program of nicotine substitutes, or anything else your doctor suggests, that you could see a boost in your sexual performance, pleasure, and overall sex life.

There are lots of things that can affect our sex lives, including hormone imbalances, psychological stress, or our lifestyle in general, but there’s one thing we do know for sure: smoking can seriously affect your sex life. But there’s good news: when you can point out a problem, you can fix it, meaning there’s hope for everyone who can accurately identify the obstacle. If there’s something keeping you from enjoying your life to the fullest, we suggest taking a good hard look at it.

And if you’re thinking of taking up smoking, beware that it can affect more than just your health.