Most people realize that sex is fun and pleasurable; you might also be aware of its mental and mood-boosting benefits. But few people realize that sex is also great for your physical body — it improves your sleep patterns, boosts immunity, burns calories, and does so much more. Most interestingly, regular sex keeps your vagina healthy, and the lack of sex for a prolonged period takes its toll.
That’s not to say we must have sex all the time. It’s okay to take a break from sex every once in a while, whether you’re disinterested, disinclined, or simply lack opportunity at the moment. Not having sex for a few days or weeks isn’t going to harm your body. But, if you decide to abstain from sex for longer (months or years), you have to accept that your body will have certain reactions.
Your body reacts to direct stimulation. Hitting the gym to pump weights will make you develop bigger muscles, and avoiding the gym will gradually make your muscles shrink. Cardio workouts boost your cardiovascular health and endurance, and the lack of cardio workouts does the opposite. Similarly, sex ensures your vagina remains in perfect health and shape — unfortunately, the opposite is also true.
The vagina is an organ that craves direct stimulation, which helps it stay oxygenated and healthy. Direct stimulation brings oxygen, increases blood circulation, and helps your vagina remain flexible, elastic, and supple. When you stop having sex, the lack of stimulation reduces healthy blood circulation, leading to several side-effects. But you don’t need to have a partner for stimulation — masturbation, especially with clitoral vibrators or clitoral suction toys, is just as effective.
Below, we discuss what happens to your vagina when you stop having sex.
Vaginal Tightness and Hymen Regrowth — Not True
People often say that the lack of sexual stimulation or contact has increased their vaginal tightness. There’s a common misconception that the lack of sex for extended periods will strengthen your pelvic floor or make your hymen reappear — none of that is accurate. The lack of sex doesn’t tone your muscles, and your hymen can never grow back once it’s broken. If you experience any tightness at all, it’s likely due to the lack of arousal or growing tension. You can relieve the tension by getting into the right frame of mind, using a lubricant, and using a clitoral suction vibrator for indirect stimulation.
Post-menopause Vaginal Tightness and Irritation
What we’ve mentioned above only applies to pre-menopause situations. However, women who have gone through menopause often experience vaginal tightness due to the lack of sexual stimulation. Most people experience vaginal dryness, irritation, and even bleeding post-menopause. However, the regular use of lubrication and sexual stimulation, even with a sex toy, can prevent excessive vaginal tightness and irritation. Without stimulation, the tissues may become thinner and prone to bleeding. As such, women should continue having sex or using sex toys after menopause to ensure vaginal youthfulness, elasticity, and flexibility.
Cramps and Other Premenstrual Symptoms
Sexual stimulation and regular orgasms alleviate your stress, discomfort, and anxieties. They help you feel calmer, more relaxed, and alleviate the pressure from various parts of your body. As such, if you abstain from sex for extended periods and deny orgasms to yourself, you might experience cramps, worth premenstrual symptoms, and anxieties.
Changes in Size
As mentioned previously, regular sexual stimulation helps deliver essential nutrient-rich blood circulation into the vagina and clitoris, keeping them healthy and lubricated. Without sexual stimulation, the vagina and clitoris aren’t as activated, making them shrink a little. As such, people who abstain from sex often think their vaginas have grown smaller. In actuality, your vagina might have shrunk a little, but it will regain its original size once you resume sexual activities. Using sex toys with lubrication will certainly help loosen you up. If you experience tightness due to the smaller size, you can also use a clitoral vibrator, like Biird's Namii, to stimulate your clitoris.
Lubrication Problems
Regular sexual activity and stimulation keep your vagina lubricated. The lack of sexual stimulation may lead to vaginal dryness, which, in turn, leads to irritation and discomfort. You can use sex toys with lubricants to restore your vaginal wetness again.
Delays in Orgasm
If you don’t have sex or orgasm for a long time, you might find that it takes you longer to orgasm once you start again. However, the delays in orgasm are usually unrelated to the vaginal walls or other physical changes. In most cases, people who abstain from sex for extended periods have a hard time mentally transitioning into the right frame of mind to enjoy sex, leading to delays in orgasms. The lateral orbitofrontal cortex, i.e., a part of the brain, shuts down during orgasms, so you must willingly surrender yourself to the sexual experience to experience an orgasm. If you’re in your head, you might not experience an orgasm.
Changes in Sexual Response
People who abstain from all forms of sexual stimulation often experience a change in their sexual response once they resume sexual activities. The female sexual function index (FSFI) is a rating that tracks a female individual’s desire, interest, arousal, orgasm, lubrication, and overall satisfaction. Women who recently used vibrators or sex toys generally scored the highest FSFI points, indicating that your sexual function is highest with sex toys. Conversely, abstaining from sex for extended periods may negatively affect your sexual response and function.
It’s worth mentioning that we’re not advocating that you must have sex regularly. It’s your body and your choice — you get to decide when you’ll have sex and how much. However, if you choose to abstain from sex, you should be aware of its toll on your body. As mentioned previously, you can use vibrators and clitoral suction toys to achieve the benefits of regular orgasms and sexual stimulation without sexual partners. But the choice is yours.
