Sexual Health

This page was last edited on June 8, 2023

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Sexual health. A topic only discussed in hushed conversations or ignored altogether.

It’s a matter of wonder that even in 2023, sexual well-being is riddled with taboos and misconceptions.

However, without understanding the significance of sexual wellness, you won’t be able to achieve overall well-being.

Why?

Because sexual well-being has a significant impact on numerous facets of your physical, mental, intellectual, and spiritual health.

Sadly, most of us completely ignore this aspect of our health. In contrast, others consider sexual well-being to be all about disease or unplanned pregnancy prevention.

Sexual health is your ability to embrace and enjoy sexuality safely.

I understand that it’s crucial to create a safe and non-judgmental space for individuals to learn about their sexual well-being.

That’s why I’ve crafted this article to inform you about all that comes under the sexual well-being umbrella.

So, let’s embark on this empowering journey with the ultimate goal of fostering enhanced sexual health.

Together let’s cultivate a culture that prioritizes sexual wellness and fulfillment.

First, let’s take a look at what you’ll learn about sexual well-being.

What Is Sexual Health?
Why Is Sexual Health Important?
Signs of Good Sexual Health
What Falls Under Sexual Health?
How to Improve Your Sexual Health?

What Is Sexual Health?

Sexual health promotes a positive approach toward our sexuality and sexual relationships.

According to World Health Organization (WHO):

Sexual health is the state of physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being relating to sexuality.

It’s also essential to remember sexual well-being is more than the absence of dysfunction or disease.

This aspect of health includes safe and pleasurable sexual experiences. Sexual relation has to be free of violence, coercion, and discrimination to be healthy.

Unfortunately, most people don’t understand the significance of sexual well-being. Hence, they suffer from poor sexual well-being.

However, the lack of access to proper sexual well-being education is another reason for inadequate sexual well-being.

To achieve sexual well-being, one has to have the following:

Access to comprehensive and correct information about sexual well-being.
Consequences of poor sexual well-being.
Access to sexual health care providers and medicine.
Living in an environment that’s positive and respectful towards sex and sexuality.

Why Is Sexual Health Important?

Learning about your sexual well-being will help you take charge of your body. In addition, it will assist in improving your physical and mental well-being.

On the other hand, the lack of sexual well-being can lead to many adverse consequences.

The importance of sexual health is manifold. Here are some of them:

Prevent and Treat STIs
Safer Sex Practice
Reduce Unwanted Pregnancy
Promote Positive Body Image
Poor Mental Health
Encourage Healthy Relationships
Sexual Violence Awareness
Reduce Health Risks

Let’s learn why sexual wellness is essential in more detail.

Prevent and Treat STIs

Poor sexual health leads to sexually transmitted infections.

Moreover, a lack of knowledge regarding sexual well-being increases the number of people suffering from these diseases.

Even though STIs are common, they are not to be taken lightly. Because STIs can lead to long-term physical health problems and even death.

Moreover, you can transfer the disease to your partner if you are not careful.

Only by focusing on your sexual well-being can you prevent these diseases and lead a healthy sexual life.

Safer Sex Practice

Sexual health awareness promotes safer sex practices. And safe sex is the most effective way to prevent STIs.

Moreover, unwanted pregnancy can be avoided by safe sex practices.

Reduce Unwanted Pregnancy

Lack of sexual well-being is a significant reason for unwanted pregnancy.

Sexual well-being tells you about the methods of contraception, so avoiding unwanted pregnancy becomes easier.

Moreover, sexual well-being allows individuals to have better control over their reproductive health.

Promote Positive Body Image

Working to improve your sexual health makes you more confident in your body.

Additionally, seeking help from healthcare providers can help you build positive sexual health habits.

That’s not all, improved sexual health allows you to overcome body dysmorphia and body image issues.

Poor Mental Health

Poor sexual health can lead to declining mental health.

For example, sexual violence or being in an unfulfilling relationship can negatively affect your mental well-being.

Our society looks down upon people suffering from STIs.

As a result, this social isolation can harm their mental and social health.

Encourage Healthy Relationships

Sexual well-being brings confidence. And it will help you discuss essential factors about your sex life with your partner.

Sexual health also encourages setting positive boundaries in relationships. And these help make your relationships healthy.

Sexual Violence Awareness

Sexual well-being raises awareness against sexual violence.

Although stopping sexual violence is complex, improving sexual health can inform you about your rights.

And when you are aware of your rights, you can fight against sexual violence more effectively.

Reduce Health Risks

Sexual well-being goes beyond STI, pregnancy, and pleasure. It can help save your life in many cases.

Experiencing discomfort and pain during sex, vaginal bleeding, and urinary issues can all be signs of underlying health issues.

More importantly, these issues could be symptoms of gynecological and prostate cancer.

So, focusing on sexual health is extremely important for you.

Signs of Good Sexual Health

Being sexually healthy positively impacts all other areas of your life.

So, let’s learn some characteristics of a sexually healthy person.

A sexually healthy person understands sexual well-being is more than just sexual behavior.
They accept it as a significant part of overall health.
Sexually healthy people will take good care of their bodies.
Additionally, they get regular checkups for STIs.
They also take care of their reproductive health.
Sexually healthy people are well-informed about their sexual rights.
In addition, they respect others’ sexual rights and boundaries.
Moreover, they adopt safer sex practices to avoid STIs.
That’s not all, they will access sexual health care whenever needed.
Lastly, they are not afraid to talk about sexual well-being.

What Falls Under Sexual Health?

Sexual health is a broad term. It includes various categories and aspects.

Here are a few common factors that fall under sexual health:

Sexuality
Sex Education
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Reproductive Health
Contraception
Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
Sexual Dysfunction
Sexual Violence and Abuse
Body Image and Self-Esteem
Healthy Relationships and Consent

Sexuality

Sexuality is the way you experience sexual behaviors and express yourself sexually. This broad term involves biological, physical, psychological, emotional, erotic, and spiritual feelings and behaviors.

Sex Education

Sex education provides accurate information about sexual health. It includes anatomy, physiology, contraception, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), consent, and healthy relationships.

Sex education fosters sexual health awareness, knowledge, and responsible sexual behavior.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

This category focuses on diseases that spread through sexual contact.

HIV/AIDS, herpes, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, and gonorrhea are examples of STDs.

Everyone should be careful about STD prevention, as some diseases could cause lifelong pain and discomfort.

Reproductive Health

Reproductive health talks about your reproductive organs, fertility, and reproductive processes. Additionally, it includes health care for menstruation, infertility, pregnancy, childbirth, prenatal, and postnatal care.

Contraception

This category is dedicated to the procedures and practices used to avoid unplanned pregnancies.

You can learn about the different contraception methods like condoms, birth control tablets, IUDs, implants, patches, injections, etc.

Moreover, fertility awareness and sterilization procedures are part of this category.

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Sexual orientation and gender identity are a significant part of sexual health. It teaches you about diverse sexual orientations, such as heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, etc. Furthermore, you can learn about gender identities like cisgender, transgender, non-binary, etc.

Most importantly, this category promotes acceptance and support for every sexual orientation and gender identity.

Sexual Dysfunction

Sexual health also provides help for difficulties or dysfunctions that affect an individual’s sexual function.

Low libido, erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, and orgasmic disorders are common sexual dysfunctions.

Many of the conditions are curable.

So, if anyone is suffering from sexual dysfunction, make sure they receive an assessment, diagnosis, and treatment.

Sexual Violence and Abuse

This category addresses sexual violence, harassment, assault, and abuse.

The primary goal of this sector is spreading awareness, preventative methods, assisting survivors, and promoting consent and respectful relationships.

Body Image and Self-Esteem

Sexual health recognizes the impact of body image and self-esteem on sexual well-being.

Moreover, it promotes positive body image, self-acceptance, and healthy self-esteem.

That’s not all, sexual well-being also teaches you to fight societal pressures and support mental wellness.

Sexual health emphasizes the significance of communication, respect, and consent in relationships.

You must communicate effectively with your partner, respect their boundaries, and set healthy boundaries for yourself.

Moreover, it teaches us to understand and respect consent in sexual relationships.

Recognizing and addressing signs of abusive or unhealthy relationships is also crucial to sexual well-being.

How to Improve Your Sexual Health

Now that you know all about sexual health, it’s time to improve your own.

Improving your sexual well-being is an ongoing process. So, you have to be careful, patient, and consistent.

Follow these steps to start your sexual well-being this journey:

Learn about Your Body & Rights
Build Positive Relationships
Practice Safe Sex
Regular Sexual Health Care
Take Care of Your Body
Focus on Your Mental Health

Learn about Your Body & Rights

First of all, learn about your body.

Many of us are shy to even look at our naked selves. But you cant improve your sexual well-being without knowing your body.

You can start by:

First of all, let go of the judgment.
Access professional help if needed to understand how your body works.
In addition, explore ways to express yourself sexually.
Moreover, discover what feels good and what doesn’t.
Learn about your sexual rights so you can defend yourself from abuse.

These steps may seem small initially, but they can help build your confidence.

That’s not all, your body image and self-esteem will improve along with your sexual well-being.

Build Positive Relationships

Once you are confident in your body, it’s time to take another look at the relationships in your life.

You can not improve sexual health with toxic relationships surrounding you.

For example, you are aware of your rights and boundaries. But your partner doesn’t respect the boundaries you set.

In this case, it’d be difficult for you to work toward your sexual well-being.

So, take these steps to build positive & healthy relationships:

Be with people who respect your boundaries.
Also, establish clear rules of consent and ensure they are followed.
Your partner should make you feel comfortable, safe, and loved.
Let go of people who disrespect you or force you to do things.
Likewise, respect your partner’s boundaries.
Additionally, seek medical help together if problems come up.
Have open, judgment-free conversations about your desires, decisions, and sexual health.
Don’t settle for anything less than a peaceful and respectful relationship.
Never stay with someone who threatens, harms, or violates you.

Unfortunately, most of us struggle to step away from unhealthy relationships. Often we think our partners will change in time with love and care. But they don’t.

20 people
suffer from domestic violence every minute by their partner in the USA alone.
Source: NCADV

So, no matter how hard it is, step away from sexually, physically, or mentally abusive relationships.

If you don’t feel safe to do by yourself, take help from domestic violence support centers or sexual assault help centers.

Practice Safe Sex

Safe sex practice is essential to protect yourself from sexually transmitted diseases.

In addition, if you don’t want children, contraception is necessary to avoid unplanned pregnancies.

Safe sex practices can look like this:

Use condoms for protection against STIs.
Explore different methods of contraception.
Choose the contraceptive method that suits your body and relationship.
Maintain good personal hygiene before and after sexual relations.
For extra protection, use condoms and contraceptives together.
Be careful about people you sexually engage with.
Be clear about sexual health problems you or your partner has.
Take additional protection if one of you has previously had STIs.

Regular Sexual Health Care

You are thinking, “Both my partner and I are sexually healthy; we don’t need to get sexual health care.”

Wrong. Everyone needs to get regular sexual checkups.

Sexual health care is essential to detect any underlying health issues in your reproductive organs.

I know getting checkups for sexual health can seem daunting.

For starters, you can follow these tips:

First of all, find a doctor you are comfortable with.
Make sure you don’t feel hesitation or judgment while talking with them.
Then, have open conversations about any issues you might be going through.
Also, ask for advice about how to stay sexually healthy.
Don’t be afraid to share concerns about libido, performance during sex, or dysfunctions.
Go for six months wellness checks to make sure everything is alright.
In addition, learn about different contraceptives and their side effects.

Still terrified? It’s okay; most of us are.

Think about your sexual well-being like any other aspect of health.

For example, you got a nasty infection in your big toe. Would you be ashamed to see a doctor?

No right? So, think of your sexual organs like all other body parts.

And like every other aspect of health, sexual health must also be taken care of.

Take Care of Your Body

Living a healthy life can positively impact your sexual well-being. When you feel fit, your self-esteem gets boosted.

That’s not all, physically fit people show improved sexual performance!

So, bring some lifestyle changes to take care of your body.

Follow these tips to improve your physical health:

Start eating a healthy diet.
Get eight hours of uninterrupted sleep.
Incorporate daily exercise into your life.
In addition, do kegel exercises to strengthen reproductive organs.
Eat foods high in vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and essential fats.
Additionally, include zinc-rich foods to improve your energy levels.
Moreover, cashews and chickpeas can help in increasing libido.

Learn more about how to stay fit from this article, Physical Health.

Focus on Your Mental Health

If you are mentally troubled, your sexual well-being will decline too.

Stress and anxiety negatively affect our hormones. As a result, you may face declining libido and poor sexual performance.

To help battle the stress of everyday life, you can follow these tips:

Take some time to slow down every day.
Engage in relaxing activities like bubble baths, journaling, meditation, etc.
Additionally, you can take couples therapy to improve your relationship.
Also, consider sex therapy to enhance sexual confidence.
Moreover, sex therapy can help you fight previous sexual trauma.

Want to learn more about mental well-being? Check out this article Mental Health.

Conclusion

Sexual health is an essential part of human life that can’t be ignored. However, this aspect of health is still highly neglected in our society.

By having open conversations and promoting sexual health awareness, we can create a society that values sexual well-being.

Learn more about how to stay healthy with these amazing articles on health: