Successfully quitting smoking cigarettes requires each person to define their own unique set of motivations. Simply knowing the risks was obviously not enough to prevent you from picking up the habit. We are all aware that smoking leads to serious health problems like lung cancer, heart disease, and even premature death. It’s on the warning labels for every pack you buy.
Some people want to quit because they want to feel better physically. They may recognize how the health risks actually feel when they happen to them, and they want to put a stop to it before they get seriously ill.
Others want to quit smoking because it will save them money. Smoking is expensive, and the medical bills that come later put an even bigger price tag on that pack of cigarettes.
Maybe you have tried to quit smoking before and it didn’t work. If money and health are important to you but not quite enough to tip you over the edge toward success, here is yet another motivation to kick the habit once and for all: When you quit smoking, your love life will improve exponentially.
Slow Down, Cowboy
That may be enough to make you want to throw away your half-smoked pack right now, but hang on. You need to have a plan and be prepared for withdrawal symptoms. There’s nothing worse than getting busy and then getting distracted by a sudden, intractable desire for a cigarette instead of your partner.
Quitting cold turkey is one of the least successful methods for quitting, yet that’s the one most people try first. But you don’t have to go that route. You’ve got lots of options, ranging from using nicotine replacement therapies to cognitive-behavioral therapies or hypnosis, to tobacco alternatives. You can even go with tobacco free dip, to get your nicotine without inhaling smoke into your lungs.
Once you choose your method, be prepared to combat cravings for a while. Nicotine withdrawal typically starts peaking around three days after you quit, and symptoms can remain at peak intensity for about two weeks without any of the above mitigation strategies. The better you do at combating your cravings out of the bedroom, the better you will be at forgetting about them, focusing on what is in front of you in the bedroom.
Higher Libido
Though it may take some time once you stop smoking, your sexual arousal levels will increase. Several studies have indicated a higher level of subjective arousal after smoking cessation. If you find that your partner wants to get frisky more often than you do, your smoking may be a contributing factor.
Lower energy levels may lower your interest in sex. When you are exhausted every day because of a lack of oxygen and your body just working harder in general, then it is no wonder that you just want to sleep when your head hits the pillow.
No More Huffing and Puffing
Sex is never sexy when it is full of huffing and puffing and wheezing and coughing. It just isn’t. It kind of really kills the mood when you have to stop to catch your breath and you aren’t even doing anything all that adventurous yet. Put the smokes down and you will have an easier time showing your partner what stamina is.
Better Erections
Nicotine constricts blood vessels and inhibits circulation, and we all know what poor circulation means for your love life. Smoking is a known cause of erectile dysfunction, and quitting can get your performance back on track very quickly.
You’re More Attractive
This is a researched fact. It may seem like smoking gives you that rebel edge, but not smoking outweighs the appeal of being too cool to care about your health or the health of those around you. Smoking causes premature aging, yellowed teeth, yellowed fingers, and you always smell like smoke. Even if you don’t smell it yourself, put on a clean shirt, and douse yourself in perfume or cologne, your partner can still smell it.
Your Bedroom is Sexier
Coming back to your place and dealing with the smell of cigarettes can be a real mood-killer for a nonsmoker. If you smoke inside your home—even if you keep it to one room or the basement—nonsmokers are going to smell it all over your house or apartment.
Increased Fertility
Maybe making babies is not your current goal. Or maybe it is. Either way, you probably want to preserve your fertility so you have the option to have kids someday. Smoking reduces both sperm and egg production and also affects the quality of both. People who smoke have a higher chance of having offspring with congenital disorders than those who do not, whether you smoked or were exposed to secondhand smoke during pregnancy or not.
Final Thoughts
The only thing that should be smoking in the bedroom is your performance. Quitting smoking may be one of the hardest things you will ever do, but it is definitely a motivation to know that your love life will improve in a big way once you do.
