Health

How Does CFS Affect Your Sex Life?

man-womanWhat is CFS?

CFS or Chronic fatigue syndrome is a complex and incapacitating disorder which is associated with profound fatigue that even bed rest can never improve. It may even get worse should the patient be involved in mental or physical activity. The disorder makes one to have reduced participation in the daily chores. Insomnia, impaired mental concentration and memory, muscles weakness and pain are some of the symptoms which are associated with it.

How Does Cfs Affect Your Sex Life?

Most of those who suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome have confessed that it affects their sexual life in one way or the other. As the disease makes one to face challenges when performing some of the simplest daily activities, having sex being an activity that needs energy is not left behind.

Research done by an expert specialized in chronic illness found out that individuals who are fatigued as a result of exertion or any kind of reason such as CFS, are less interested with sex. Should they go ahead and have it, they generally experience reduced libido.

How Your Libido Is Affected By Cfs

Experiencing a lower libido can be influenced by a number of factors. Some of these factors include: sleeplessness, tender lymph nodes or sore throat, experiencing difficulty when remembering or thinking, joint and muscle pain as well as profound fatigue. From a close look, these are the same symptoms that are associated with CFS.

On the other hand, sexual dysfunction and low libido may be brought about by the psychological effects which chronic fatigue syndrome brings along. It is common for people with this disease to express irritation, anxiety and depression. Hardly can an individual with such experiences have the desire for having sex.

Though there exists some limitations in terms of research done to show how CFS affects sexual health and libido, there still exists some evidence showing its effects on the same. A review carried out by female Gulf War veterans found out that only a small percentage of those suffering from CFS did not complain about sexual problems compared to the bigger percentage that did. A Spanish research found out those women who had this disease ended up viewing sex in a negative way, they did not have pleasure when doing it, as well had a tendency to avoid it as their levels of fatigue increased.

Ways Of Sexual Health Restoration

Every person has the responsibility of ensuring that he or she maintains an enjoyable and healthy sexual life. With that in mind, losing hope of being sexually active as a result of being a victim of CFS is not encouraged. You should not entirely leave it to take your sexual desires away.

Upon declaration of being a victim of CFS, it is hard to think of restoring your sexual desires as the main issue you might be thinking about is how to cure the disease. The entire situation as to be stabilized in one way or the other since both situations share equal consequences. Finding ways of curbing the symptoms will be of great assistance.

The following are tips which are worth trying when you need to restore your sexual desire:

  • Be informed of what healthy sex means: like any other activity, it’s good to plan the frequency with which to have sex. For instance, most couples prefer having it once a week. When chronically, having it once in every two weeks or in every month is not that bad.
  • Avoid pushing yourself beyond your capabilities: Neither is sex mandatory nor a test that you have to pass. Always enjoy it when you can without aggravating symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.
  • Make prior preparations: when you need to have sex, ensure you plan for it early. You can do this by taking a few days of rest before the actual day or with the help of your partner, you can set the needed mood. This will assist in the creation of the intimacy which sex needs.

Pursuing sex when suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome can be challenging but with reliable practices, you can make it to act as a form of comfort when recovering from CFS.

Those who might continue experiencing problems even after practicing the needed measures are advised to give cognitive behavioral therapy a try. With the help of this therapy, understanding how CFS interferes with their sexual life will be possible since it promotes communication.

If you have any questions, please ask below!