Appreciating ourselves & sex
How we can use body appreciation and positivity to achieve more sexual satisfaction?
Positive body appreciation refers to the love, respect, acceptance and appreciation held for ones body. Higher body appreciation is associated with positive mental health, higher self-esteem, life satisfaction and optimism. This love and acceptance for our body encompasses ideas of protecting our body, holding favourable opinions about our body, no matter the shape or size, and actively rejecting unrealistic body standards.
When we have higher body appreciation, we not only feel mentally well, but we often take better care of our body - with higher body appreciation being associated with lower levels of harmful or risky health behaviours, such as binge drinking and smoking.
Having a positive body image, and being able to appreciate your body, is also connected to healthy libido and sexual functioning. The better we feel about our bodies, the more likely we are going to be in a space of mental wellness, and connected to our sexual experiences. Those with higher body appreciation have been found to have higher levels of arousal, sexual satisfaction and orgasm.
This is a relatively new area of research, as before research was only focused on consequences of negative body image and sexual self esteem. Negative body image is related to feelings of disconnection from the sexual experience, reduced satisfaction and pleasure.
Flipping the script and understanding how the act of appreciating our bodies can support our sexual well-being is a step forward in understanding the psychological impact our connection to ourselves plays in our health.
How do we cultivate improved body appreciation? Here are some tips.
Honour your biological cues
Listen to how your body communicates with you through feeling and sensations, like hunger, fullness, energy, mood etc. This may be something we are not practiced in - or are having a hard time feeling due to stress, anxiety or depression. Learning how to pay attention to things that either tune us in, or distract us from our bodies needs takes time to build.
Consider starting a mindfulness practice to help build awareness around your physical, emotional and mental sensations. We often recommend starting with an app based programs, or taking a look at our favourite journalling exercises.
Evaluate your relationship with exercise (& food!)
Getting regular movement throughout the week is important for health, mental health and is just simply fun. However, our relationship with movement and food can become compromised or harmful if we use either of them to “offset” the other, or exert control over how our bodies look.
Strive to build an intuitive relationship with movement & food in your routine that helps you feel connected to your body, allows you to feel stronger and nourished, allows for rest days and days of indulgence, includes different types of activities and food, and is fun!
Be your own friend
If you find yourself critiquing your own body, practicing body gratitude or appreciation can help. Try to focus on functional things about your body, or positive aspects about yourself that aren’t physical or related to appearance. Some examples include:
I trust my body
I listen to my body
I am strong, smart, and capable
I am grateful for the times by has gotten me through
Be intentional about the media you consume
Be mindful of the type of media you consume, and how you follow on social media. Reflect on how certain posts make you feel, and if they cause you to compare your life, body or success with others. If they do - restrict their visibility by muting accounts, unfollowing or blocking them. Your mental health is number one, and removing accounts that make you feel bad creates space to see and consume media that makes you feel empowered, inspired and excited.
Spend time in nature
Research has found that time in nature can change the way we view ourselves. We know that exposure to nature can improve our health through decreased blood pressure, enhancing our immune responses, and reducing stress. It also seems to improve cognitive function, lower rates of depression and anxiety, improve self-esteem, sleep and increase happiness. Not bad!
Get support
If you are struggling with body appreciation or image, or mental health concerns (including sexual function and libido) book an appointment with one of our naturopathic doctors, or our nurse practitioner psychotherapist to explore how we can support your overall health and well-being.