Many people make New Year’s resolutions that often have to do with improving their overall health and general sense of wellbeing. Well, it turns out many of these new habits will also contribute to improved sexual functioning and well being. So if you’ve made any of the following resolutions you’ll actually be doubling the bang for your buck.

Exercising more regularly: Regular exercise improves cardiovascular and circulatory function. We all know this is important for your heart, but it’s also good, and crucial, to genital functioning. Good circulation is crucial for good erections, vaginal lubrication and labial and clitoral engorgement. Exercise will help bump up your testosterone production, which helps drive libido. It also increases serotonin production, making us feel a bit happier. Exercise can help ease the symptoms of PMS, painful periods and menopausal symptoms.

Losing Weight: Losing weight, even just a few pounds, makes us feel better. When we feel better about ourselves we look better to the world, and visa- versa (when we look better, we feel better). When we feel better about ourselves we can feel sexier and less self conscious during sex. Carrying less weight is better and easier for our hearts and cardiovascular systems, resulting in all the good stuff we talked about above.

Eating a Healthier Diet: Sometimes this is done to achieve one or both of the above goals. Eating a diet comprised of more plants based foods, including beans/legumes, fruits, some grains(debatable in many circuits these days) and less meat will help our blood vessels be healthy, with less cholesterol plaques building up. Remember, better circulation = better erections in men and better sexual response in both sexes. A diet too high in animal fat, and thus elevated cholesterol levels, may decrease testosterone levels. Gotta have that testosterone to have libido.

Reducing Your Stress: We all have stress in our lives. We can’t really change that fact. Some stress is actually caused by positive life events. Others stresses are caused by negative events. Stress can constrict blood flow and can increase levels of cortisol and adrenaline, which depress levels of testosterone.  How we handle stress is what we can alter. In the new year many people begin taking yoga or tai chi which are great for stress reduction. Some start a meditation or mindfulness practice. Some begin a new, relaxing hobby like gardening, knitting or making more regular appointments for massage. All great ways to reduce stress and its negative side effects.

Quitting Smoking: We pretty much know smoking is bad for almost everything. Smoking negatively affects your circulatory system. Many studies have linked erectile dysfunction with smoking.

I hope you enjoy the new changes you’re attempting in the new year. May they become new habits. Your new lifestyle. And I have no doubt you will reap all the sexual benefits as well. Here’s to great sex in 2016 and way beyond!