Are you experiencing the Festive Flop? (Picture: GETTY)
You’ve decked the halls, felt all merry and bright while watching Love Actually, and now it’s time to head into the bedroom and jingle some bells.
But if you find you can’t keep your North Pole up while having sex over the Christmas and New Year period, then you’re not alone.
According to a doctor, in addition to tidings of comfort and joy, the holiday season also brings with it a number of lifestyle and psychological changes that can cause what they’ve dubbed the ‘Festive Flop’.
In other words, there’s an increased risk of experiencing erectile dysfunction.
Dr Janine David, a men’s health specialist, claims that the rise of this condition over the Christmas period is due to a perfect storm of stress and alcohol, as well as reduced physical activity and diet.
What is erectile dysfunction?
According to the NHS, erectile dysfunction (ED) is when you are:
unable to get an erection
unable to keep an erection for long enough to have sex
The experts add that depending on the cause of your ED, you may still be able to get an erection at other times, such as when you wake up.
Some men may also experience low sex drive in addition to their ED.
Most men occasionally fail to get or keep an erection and most cases of ED are caused by stress, tiredness or drinking too much alcohol.
It’s usually nothing to worry about. However, it can also be a side effect of some medicines.
If erectile dysfunction happens often, it may be caused by a condition such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol, diabetes, depression or anxiety, or hormone problems.
See a GP or visit a sexual health clinic if ED keeps happening.
The expert told Metro.co.uk: ‘With 40% of men over 40 and 26% of men under 40 suffering from erectile dysfunction (ED) according to research from Eroxon — the bad news is it can be worse over the festive season.
‘The perfect storm of stress, alcohol and reduced physical activity and diet can see a rise in health condition over the season. Excess alcohol is one of the single biggest causes and according to research, 57% of men already think this, but it’s hard to avoid too much alcohol at party time.
‘Add in the stress of getting everything done — decorating your home, finishing the shopping, getting just the right gifts whilst spending more than you’d intended — the pressure is enormous.
‘And when it comes to sex the pressure to perform may be overwhelming with Festive Flop the consequence.’
So what can you do to beat the Festive Flop?
Take a step back and try to de-stress
If you enjoy a bit of me-time at the gym, consider adding a couple of extra workouts to your calendar over the holiday season or if not, go on a good brisk walk, run, or cycle for 30 minutes each day to de-stress and get the blood pumping. Be sure to also take some time to relax by cutting out a few tasks from your to-do list which just aren’t necessary.
Plan your alcohol intake
Before going to a party or festive get together, think about what you’re going to drink at each one. Dr Janinerecommends limiting yourself to two drinks at each party (assuming that is no more than once a day) and making them last.
She also advises planning to have one or two alcohol free days in between events, or you could even take this one step further and ditch the booze altogether and switch to non-alcoholic drinks over the holidays.
Don’t beat yourself up
It’s all too easy to feel guilty about the Festive Flop, says Dr Janine, but you don’t need to beat yourself up over it as it’s incredibly common and usually not something to worry about.
If you fear it happening, she recommends talking to your partner about your feelings. Honesty is always the best policy in relationships and this applies to the Festive Flop as well.
Everything in moderation
We all know that Christmas is a time for indulgence, and while you can certainly enjoy the festive treats, the expert warns not to go overboard and balance out the junk food with plenty of the healthier foods that Christmas does offer in abundance, such as nuts, vegetables and fruit.
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