The penis plays an important role in a man’s life. It needs to be treated right in order for it to perform at its best at all times.
How do you take good care of your penis? What should you do to make sure that it does not fail you during intimate moments with your partner?
There are certain seemingly harmless habits that a lot of men have that can negatively impact their penises. These can lead to a variety of penis problems that deprive them from having pleasurable sex. While many have short-term effects that can easily be reversed, the others are not as forgiving and can result to severe and permanent damage.
Take a look at the list below to know what these bad habits are, and make a change to better your penis health starting today:
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Not getting enough sleep
Health experts recommend at least 7 hours of sleep every night to give the body enough time to rest and rejuvenate for the next day. If you are sleeping well on a regular basis, you can avail of better memory, focus, and cognitive functions, as well as higher energy levels and better mood.
But, if you are not getting sufficient amounts of sleep, you will experience an array of negative effects, such as fatigue, poor concentration, and low energy levels. In addition, your libido, your sperm production and quality, and your testosterone levels will significantly drop, as well.
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Smoking
Various studies have found that the compounds and substances found in cigarettes and tobacco are detrimental to the body, and they can cause poorly developed sperm, infertility, and other erectile and reproductive problems.
If you smoke, just about every vital organ and system of your body is impacted. The harmful chemicals can damage your blood vessels, impairing the functioning of your brain, heart, kidneys, and others. They can mess up the nerves that send signals to your brain every time you feel aroused, rendering your penis unable to get and/or keep an erection.
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Drinking too much
Heavy drinking is bad for a man’s sex life. If you often spend your nights at bars or drinking a six-pack at home, you are likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction — whether temporary or long-term.
A study conducted by researchers at the University of Washington found that sober men achieved an erection during intimate moments faster than drunk men. It attributed this finding to alcohol’s ability to cause a decrease in blood flow to the penis, lowering a man’s libido and intensity of orgasm.
Moreover, a different study looked into the long-term effects of alcohol abuse, and found that men who have chronic and heavy alcohol drinking problems have about a 60% to 70% more chance of getting afflicted with sexual and reproductive disorders — most notably loss of libido, premature ejaculation, and erectile dysfunction — than an occasional drinker or a non-drinker.
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Eating too much junk foods
Your diet can increase your risk of penis problems. Because erectile dysfunction, loss of sexual desire, and others are related to the amount of blood that flows to your penis, your blood vessels need to be in tip-top shape to avoid them. By eating healthily, you can boost your cardiovascular functions, and stay away not only from these sexual and reproductive concerns, but also from high blood sugar and cholesterol levels, obesity, and so on.
If you are used to having fast food or takeout for lunch and dinner, why not start preparing your own healthy and nutritious meals at home? If you like to eat a large bag of chips and drink a couple of cans of soda while you watch TV every night, why not munch on some mixed nuts, baby carrots, celery sticks, or fresh fruit slices, and pair them with low fat milk or tea instead? That way, you can significantly reduce your intake of fats, sugar, sodium, and other unhealthy ingredients that get added to these processed foods, and begin your journey to a long and disease-free life.
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Being sedentary
Exercising or working out is necessary to have a trimmed, fit, and properly functioning body. If you do it regularly, you can enjoy a long list of health benefits that include lower risk of bone and muscle injuries, cardiovascular diseases, immune problems, and brain disorders. You can also improve your mood, sleep cycle, energy levels, and sexual and erectile functions.
In a study by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the activity levels and sexual functions of 300 men were observed. Among the participants, the highly active ones showed the highest sexual function scores. These men reported to do around two hours of high intensity, three and a half hours of moderate workout, or six hours of light exercise per week. And, unsurprisingly, the least active ones, who lived basically sedentary lifestyles, generated the lowest sexual function scores.
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Having poor personal hygiene
Just like your face, teeth, hair, and skin, your penis needs to be always cleaned. You should have a regular personal hygiene routine that focuses on your groin to keep the area looking nice and smelling fresh.
At least twice a day, you should wash yours with water and mild soap, making sure that there is nothing undesirable building up anywhere. Start from the base to the tip, and check the front and the back. You should remember to tidy up your testicles too, as sweat and other elements can get accumulated there and trigger an irritation or a foul odor.
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Not using condoms
Many men do not like using condoms because they do not get as much pleasure when having sex. But, if you do that, you are exposing yourself to a wide array of sexually transmitted diseases that can cause serious harm and damage to your penis and the rest of your reproductive system.
To avoid contracting syphilis, gonorrhea, Chlamydia, HIV, AIDS, and other dangerous infections, you should always wear a condom when having oral, anal, or vaginal sex. Dealing with an STD can be incredibly disruptive to your sex life, and being safe and practicing precaution can help prevent that.
