Sex & mind

Are long hours of work bad for your sex life?

As the saying goes, all work and no play makes Jack a crashing bore in the bed. If you put in long hours of work (more than 12 hours a day, double shifts, a 7-day working-week) then you know exactly what happens to you as you slowly let yourself in through the door of a sleeping house, tip-toe all the way to bed and pray real hard that your spouse or partner won’t open his/her eyes and demand some wee-hour intimacy (much forced from your side undoubtedly).

Published June 1, 2022

As researchers in ‘Occupational Health’ indicate that working more than 8 hours a day could seriously shorten your life span by inviting all sorts of ailments like heart disease, sleep deprivation, chronic fatigue syndrome among others, it could very well mean sounding the death knell on your love life!

So how does work affect play?

The stress that goes with long work hours could certainly lower sex drive leading to feelings of frustration and inadequacy amongst partners. ‘Erectile dysfunction’ and lack of sexual desire are now on the increase amongst men with high pressure jobs and fancy designations. This in turn adds more strain on the relationship as partners naturally feel spurned due to the general lack of intimacy and sex. There is also the added danger of extra marital affairs as hours away from home can increase the chances of one night stands or casual sex thereby increasing the risk of STDs and sexual guilt which can only spell doom on the home front.

So if you are a busy person this is what you can do to keep your bed from crumbling:

Take a break now and again from work to call your spouse or partner. This can indicate that though you are busy he/she is foremost on your mind.
Do not sacrifice your weekly offs as this is the time that your body, mind and spirit need all the healing that they could possibly get at the hands of your mate.
Try and involve your mate as much as possible on what is happening at the work place. This way your contribution at your work place can be appreciated and can lessen the grouse, somewhat, like you are never available and similar other complaints.
Preferably keep time for making love. These moments of intimacy are really what makes life worth living and should be given as much prominence as your promotions and annual appraisal.
Do not miss out on your meals and exercise routine that ensure that despite hectic work pressures, you can still summon up enough energy to make love.
Try a relationship counsellor to help you fine tune your work schedule to your home life.