Allergies occur when your body is exposed to allergens, triggering an immune response to produce histamines. These cause sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, fatigue, congestion, and itchiness.
Symptoms of allergies such as congestion and allergy medications (e.g., antihistamines) can cause sleep deprivation, leading to tiredness at sex. Studies revealed that allergies could make getting a good night’s sleep challenging.
Also, daytime drowsiness and poor concentration that result from allergic symptoms can affect sexual health. Antihistamines, often paired with decongestants, work by blocking the effects of histamines to reduce swelling and make breathing through the nose easier.
Both medications don’t just act on the mucus membranes to loosen the mucus produced in the nose; they work all over the body, including the vagina. The effect of both medications can cause a complete dry-out, and when you have sex while not properly lubricated, it can lead to side effects more severe than the initial discomfort of the allergies.
There are a few main factors by which allergies can affect sexual health. They are;
1. Decrease in smell
Stuffy (airless) noses that limit the sense of smell can keep someone from picking up on other people’s pheromones. Pheromones are the chemical substances that are given off by the body to make people attract potential sexual partners.
And one of the things that make people feel attracted to their partners and put them in the mood for sex is these chemical substances. So, if you cannot detect the subtle scents your partner is giving off, you might not feel like having sex, which can affect your sex life.
2. Fatigue
It is proven that most people who suffer from allergies may simply be too tired to have sex. It could be because they are fatigued by the ongoing war, their bodies are waging on the inflammation linked with allergies or they are deprived of sleep.
On the other hand, allergies can affect the nervous system, which controls the ability to become sexually aroused due to insufficient sleep. Therefore, whatever the cause of sleep deprivation, allergies may make you tired of sex.
3. Other allergy symptoms
Allergic symptoms like watery or itchy eyes, nasal congestion, or running nose might frequently halt sexual activity. Those allergic symptoms might cease sexual activity because you want to tend to the symptoms no matter what, which may make you self-conscious enough to keep you from sexual activity.
Are you concerned about your allergies or sexual health? Speak to a doctor by booking an appointment HERE.