Did sex help my mood?

[Anonymous]

Please hear me out! I've been struggling with major anxiety/depression. I'm on meds, I exercise, I get outside - I'm just having a tough time. Also lost my job (pandemic-related). Husband is working from home and we have 2 wild young elementary-age boys.

We've been together nearly 20 years, married 13. Sex life has dropped from twice a week to probably twice a month - we are just always here together, kids are staying up later, etc etc. We randomly did it this morning as I was getting out of the shower and I CANNOT BELIEVE how much better my mood is. I didn't even finish, I could hear a kid bopping around instead of being on Zoom, etc. But I almost feel like myself again, for the first time in awhile. Can this be related? Seems insane - I mean I'm attracted to my husband but like many who have been together as long as we have, there are no surprises there!

[Anonymous]

Hey, this stranger is glad for you. Seriously. Yes, of course it helped your mood afterward. Sex makes your body produce endorphins, which produce dopamine, which makes the human body feel pleased, better, more relaxed. So there's absolutely a purely physical component. Plus, if this was "surprise" sex, well, that makes us feel wanted, a great mental component.

[Anonymous]

Congratulations! It does make me feel better too and when it's a random surprise it also feels extra special and memorable. I remember many years ago when my husband came home from work early in the pm to pack and head to the airport and we were suddenly on the closet floor going at it like crazy. Short but memorable! Hopefully your husband will want to get back to twice a week.

[Anonymous]

Sex in the morning puts a smile on my face that can last the whole day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sex in the morning puts a smile on my face that can last the whole day.

+1

Read an interesting article in The Guardian newspaper a few weeks ago (they have a sex therapist columnist) and it noted that people seem to feel that sex should be a "nighttime" thing, but in reality many people are too tired, still thinking about the work day, thinking about the kids' school day, still glancing at phones/emails etc. for bedtime sex to be more than a chore. (Speaking generally here, folks, so please avoid leaping in here with "But we have perfect sex at 11 every night!" etc.)

I really do agree with that. Waking up ahead of the alarm and just letting things happen tends to result in better and much more relaxed sex for us, and the therapist/columnist noted the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sex in the morning puts a smile on my face that can last the whole day.

Same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sex in the morning puts a smile on my face that can last the whole day.

Same.

+1

[Anonymous]

men be like: DUH

[Anonymous]

Having sex first thing in the morning might not give me enough time to fail any arbitrary tests my wife might have as a condition of having sex with me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Having sex first thing in the morning might not give me enough time to fail any arbitrary tests my wife might have as a condition of having sex with me.

JFC LOL!!!

[Anonymous]

Yep, that’s how it works.

[Anonymous]

OP here - it's actually amazing how much less anxious etc I've felt all day. And it was basically just a quickie. Maybe this is DUH for some people, but it was eye opening for me..