Quit Smoking
Smoking can make ED worse, since it interferes with your circulatory system and is linked to diseases that cause ED. If you’re having trouble sustaining an erection, now might be the time to give up the cigarettes for good.
- If quitting doesn’t seem possible right now, cut back as much as you can. If you can limit your smoking to a few cigarettes a day, that’s better than smoking a pack.
Exercise Regularly
Make it a priority to get outside or go to the gym and walk, run, swim, bike, or do strength training at least 4 times a week. According to a study conducted by Harvard, walking 30 minutes a day caused a 41% drop in risk for ED. Getting regular exercise aids circulation, getting your blood pumping through your entire body. When it’s time to sustain an erection, better circulation is key.
- Choose an activity you enjoy. Exercising should be fun, not a chore.
- Schedule regular exercise into your daily routine. Add a variety of exercises so that you do not get bored. Look into scheduled exercise classes at your local community center.
- Exercise does not have to put a strain on your wallet. Avoid buying expensive equipment or health club memberships unless you are certain you will use them regularly.
- Stick with it. If you exercise regularly, it will soon become part of your lifestyle.
Avoid Alcohol
Alcohol is another substance that has a huge impact on erections. After a few drinks, many men of all ages find it much more difficult to stay hard.
Keep Your Weight Down
Larger waistlines are associated with higher rates of ED. Putting in the work to slim down can lead to huge improvements in the bedroom. Make sure you’re eating a healthy diet loaded with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
- Avoid processed foods and foods made with refined sugars and flours.
- Replace high-calorie drinks with water or unsweetened tea.
- Eat healthy snacks like nuts, carrots and apples instead of reaching for sugar-laden power bars or fast food.
Exercise Your Pelvic Floor
The pelvic floor helps the penis stay hard during erections by pressing on a vein that keeps blood from leaving until the erection is over. Men who exercise their pelvic floor have better results than those who rely solely on lifestyle changes to correct erectile dysfunction. So how do you strengthen this internal muscle? Kegel exercises.
- To find your pelvic floor, tighten the muscles you’d need to tighten to stop your urine flow.
- Tighten and release the muscle 8 times, then rest and do it 8 more times. Continue until you’ve done 3 or 4 sets of 8.
- Do Kegels every day at least once a day.
