Covid pandemic causes surge in men plagued by premature ejaculation – 6 ways to last longer in bed
THE COVID-19 pandemic has been tough on many aspects of our lives, including what we get up to under the sheets.
Constant worry and stress has led to a surge in men plagued by premature ejaculation, new data has revealed.
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Searches for premature ejaculation medication have increased by over 200 per cent since May, experts at LloydsPharmacy’s Online Doctor told The Sun.
Total sales of the drugs are up 67 per cent compared to the same period last year.
The experts say that this is not only a sign of people hoping to boost their sex lives post-lockdown, but it may also be a signal that the stress of the pandemic has impacted men’s sexual performance.
Data also shows that in excess of around 5,000 searches have included the phrase "is premature ejaculation curable" each month since the start of the pandemic last year.
LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor, Dr Sameer Sanghvi, told The Sun it shows the condition is worrying a large proportion of men.
He added: "The topic has become even more prevalent as we ease out of lockdown and people look to re-engage in sexual relations, possibly for the first time in a while.
"Around 1 in 10 men in the UK have an issue related to having sex such as erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation."
There are many possible causes of premature ejaculation and Dr Sameer explained why the condition is on the rise now - and what you can do to beat it.
1. Masturbate before sex
Stress and depression are known to be common causes of premature ejaculation.
The coronavirus pandemic has created stress for many people and others have also struggled with their mental health.
Whether it's worrying about money or being anxious about coronvirus restrictions, all these things can be tough if you're trying to get in the mood.
Dr Sameer explained: "Sometimes anxiety may cause men to worry about losing their erection, which commonly results in people focusing on increasing their sexual excitement to avoid erectile loss, which can in turn lead to early ejaculation.
“Some people may find masturbating a couple of hours before they have sex can help improve performance – it can help you de-stress and may allow you to go on for longer when you do have sex with a partner."
2. Exercise
For many people exercise was a luxury during the pandemic, home work outs, long walks and runs became most people's exercise of choice.
As restrictions eased and pubs and bars have reopened, exercise might have been pushed to the back burner.
But Dr Sameer says exercising is a great tool to help you perform better in the bedroom.
He said: "Exercise before sex can also help relieve performance stress by releasing endorphins, which can improve your mood and reduce stress.
"Exercise can also make all your muscles perform better too which can help during sex."
3. Have a good diet
Having a healthy and balanced diet is a key part of health and wellness and Dr Sameer said that if you're not eating the right foods, this could lead to premature ejaculation which could be the cause of other health issues.
He explained that premature ejaculation is highly prevalent in people with diabetes compared to those who don't have it.
"This can be due to poorly controlled blood sugar levels causing damage to the nerves, which control muscles for sexual arousal, and damage to the blood vessels, which reduces blood flow for sexual activity.
“We know cases of diabetes are on the rise, but there are also many people who are currently living with diabetes un-diagnosed.
"We also know during the pandemic many of us put on weight - in fact, our research found that 2 in 5 adults have put on nearly a stone since the start of the pandemic, where weight can be a key risk factor in the development of type 2 diabetes."
He added that if you think you have gained an unhealthy amount of weight and you are experiencing premature ejaculation, then you should get a type 2 diabetes test.
“Regular exercise, along with a good diet can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and in fact also help to reduce the risk of premature ejaculation", he said.
4. Use a thicker condom
Safe sex should always be a priority.
It was previously reported that Brits free from lockdown restraints would cause a boom in STIs.
With that in mind, it's important to make sure you wear a condom when having sex as this will protect you from infection.
Dr Sameer explained that opting for a thicker condom would also help decrease sensitivity and delay ejaculation.
5. Talk to your partner
This might feel like an awkward conversation to have but if you're struggling in the bedroom department, talking to your partner might make you feel more at ease.
By letting them know what works for you, and what doesn't, you will be able to have a more comfortable, open sexual relationship.
Keeping things relaxed will reduce you change of premature ejaculation.
6. Don't watch as much porn
No one is saying you have to stop watching porn all together, but watching porn too often can give us unrealistic expectations about our sexual experiences and can lead us to feel unworthy.
Dr Sameer said: "With sexual advertising, sex scenes in mainstream TV and internet porn at our fingertips, it’s not uncommon for people to develop an unrealistic view of what sex is, or should be.
"In reality, it’s nothing like any of these. While it’s difficult to avoid the in-your-face advertising, as it might unexpectedly appear in a TV show, you can avoid porn."
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He added that the expectation porn can bring can make people feel anxious - especially if it's the first time they have had a sexual encounter since the start of the pandemic.
Dr Sameer said: "It’s this anxiety which can really impact performance, and can cause premature ejaculation.”
One of the most important things to remember is that premature ejaculation is extremely common but porn can contribute to the fallacy that it isn’t.
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Sameer added: “Even if you only watch porn occasionally, you’re still filling your mind not only with positions and scenarios but also the fact that none of them encounter sexual problems which therefore can leave us with the fantasy that these common sexual problems such as, premature ejaculation, don’t happen."
For more advice, speak to your local pharmacist or GP or try for help.