From worrying about money to tight deadlines at work, stress in the bedroom is the number one libido killer, research suggests.
A survey of 2066 adults in the UK found that 45% of Brits report stress as the biggest problem in the bedroom.
The 2015 study was conducted by international research company Bloomberg and ranked South Africa as the second “most stressed out” nation in the world, after Nigeria.
El Salvador was ranked third.
And another survey, by BBC Radio 5 Live, found that physical health has the second biggest impact on a person’s sex life, with 32% reporting it as a passion killer. This was followed by mental-health issues, which affect 26% of the public’s libidos, having children (20%) and work (18%).
Watching porn also has a negative impact on the sex lives of 12% of those surveyed.
Other family members, aside from children, affect the libidos of 10% of those surveyed, while reality TV and friends are an issue for 7% and 5%, respectively.
Overall, half the men surveyed were happy with their sex lives, which rose slightly to 53% among the female participants. And 58% of them are confident about their performance between the sheets.
However, 38% of the men and a quarter of the women questioned were dissatisfied.
South African relationship coach Shelley Lewin says that to boost libido we need to regulate our stress, eat well, get plenty of sleep and exercise. If you look after your body, your mind will look after your libido. And paradoxically, nothing creates a stronger sexual appetite than good sex.