{"id":40595,"date":"2023-06-29T06:38:54","date_gmt":"2023-06-29T04:38:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lelo.com\/blog\/?p=40595"},"modified":"2023-07-11T02:09:01","modified_gmt":"2023-07-11T00:09:01","slug":"what-does-sexual-wellness-actually-mean","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lelo.com\/blog\/what-does-sexual-wellness-actually-mean\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does Sexual Wellness Actually Mean?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The term \u201csexual wellness\u201d gets thrown around a lot these days. We even use it often here at Lelo \u2013\u00a0and for good reason.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019re in the midst of a sexual revolution. People have more access to sexual education, resources, toys, and more than ever before. There are more honest conversations about what it means to be a sexual human and the many different ways that your sexuality can take shape.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sexual wellness encompasses so many different aspects of our lives and allows us to explore what it means to be human, in these bodies, connecting with other bodies. So what does sexual wellness actually mean?<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>The Sex Ed Guide To Sexual Wellness<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To answer the question of the day, we\u2019ve turned to the big shots \u2013 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/health-topics\/sexual-health#tab=tab_1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The World Health Organization<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. They define sexual wellness as \u201cA state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being related to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sexual wellness is about how we relate to sexuality, mentally, emotionally, and physically. It\u2019s how we care for our bodies and our partner\u2019s bodies, and so much more. This is just a beautiful little synopsis of sexual wellness, but it\u2019s time to dive deeper into this broad topic.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What else does sexual wellness entail?<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Practicing Safer Sex<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We have to start with the basics, and brush up on what you don\u2019t remember, or didn\u2019t learn in sex education. Sexual wellness starts with sexual health.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We say \u201csafer sex\u201d instead of safe sex, because there\u2019s no such thing as truly safe sex. We\u2019re not saying that sex is unsafe by any means, but that there\u2019s always some potential risk to be aware of.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All the more reason to take the steps to be responsible for your sexual health and those you come in contact with. Here are the top ways to practice safer sex:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use barrier methods like condoms and dental dams (during oral sex).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Get tested for STIs before and after a new partner.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lelo.com\/blog\/dear-lelo-tell-partner-sti\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Discuss any STIs you may have<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with your partner and talk about their potential risks.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Talk about a plan for contraception if that applies to you.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remember that practicing safer sex is a form of care. It means caring for your body, your partner\u2019s, and any other future partners either of you may have. Safer sex is nothing to be embarrassed about. It should be embraced as a way to deepen intimacy and communication.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Honest Communication<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Speaking of communication, that\u2019s next on our list. Sex starts with communication. It\u2019s how you connect with someone initially, how you learn about what they want out of a sexual experience, and how you can communicate before, during, and after being intimate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even though communication is such a huge part of sex, it can be difficult to get the hang of it. It\u2019s not uncommon to feel embarrassed, unsure of yourself, or hold back for whatever reason when it comes to talking about sex with a partner.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Communication entails a lot, and it can be an ongoing conversation. Some of the most important things when it comes to communication about sex are talking about your boundaries, consent, what you do or don\u2019t like, and how you feel after an experience.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Still not sure how to have these conversations? Here are some ideas to get you started:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI just want you to know that I don\u2019t enjoy having my ____ touched. I find it triggering, but I love to be touched everywhere else.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI want to know what turns you on the most.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cDo you have any specific things that are off-limits for you?\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The more you have these conversations, the easier they get, whether or not it\u2019s with the same person. Not to mention, these conversations can be a sexy form of foreplay.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Self-Pleasure<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another highlight on our sexual wellness list is self-pleasure. Self-pleasure, or masturbation is how you get to learn about your body, and what you like or don\u2019t like.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s also an incredible way to de-stress, and connect with yourself, and can even <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lelo.com\/blog\/self-pleasure-better-partnered-sex\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">help you have better-partnered sex<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Self-pleasure gives you the opportunity to understand what you like so that you can better communicate that with a partner \u2013 if you want to, of course.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Masturbation for many people starts at a young age and is a key tool for exploring their sexuality. You can always add in a toy to amp things up or try it the old-fashioned way.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Body Acceptance<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Something that holds many people back in their sexual wellness is insecurities about their bodies. When you don\u2019t feel totally comfortable in your body, it\u2019s hard to fully relax into pleasure, especially if someone else is there.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We know that body acceptance is a huge topic that everyone relates to differently, but it has to be acknowledged when it comes to sexual wellness. Let\u2019s make this very clear \u2013\u00a0everybody deserves pleasure, no matter what their body looks like and what different abilities they may have.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our bodies are hardwired to experience sexual pleasure, and you deserve to have a healthy connection with that part of you (if you want to, of course). Everyone has their own body acceptance journey, and you can help make peace with yours with tools like reading books on body acceptance, going to therapy, and exposing yourself to the many body-positive content creators out there.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Honoring Fluctuations and Curiosities<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We can go on and on about the world of sexual wellness, but the last bit we\u2019re going to touch on (for now) is honoring your fluctuations and curiosities. Sexuality is not stagnant. It can ebb and flow as you change and learn more about yourself and the world.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your fantasies might change, who you\u2019re attracted to might change, your libido will most likely fluctuate, and your kinks or desires in bed may develop over time. You grow and change as a human so why wouldn\u2019t your sexuality reflect that?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Honoring your fluctuations and curiosities means honoring these changes. Riding the waves of what it means to be a sexual human, and exploring them with curiosity. We\u2019ve just scratched the tip of the iceberg when it comes to sexual wellness, but we hope this helps expand your understanding of yourself and how you to relate to your sexual wellness.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The term \u201csexual wellness\u201d gets thrown around a lot these days. We even use it often here at Lelo \u2013\u00a0and for good reason.\u00a0 We\u2019re in the midst of a sexual revolution. People have more access to sexual education, resources, toys, and more than ever before. There are more honest conversations about what it means to be a sexual human and the many different ways that your sexuality can take shape. Sexual wellness encompasses so many different aspects of our lives [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":232,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[929],"tags":[1099],"coauthors":[1028],"class_list":["post-40595","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sexual-wellness","tag-wellness"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.8.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What Does Sexual Wellness Actually Mean?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"There\u2019s a huge conversation around sexual wellness, but not a lot of clarity about what it actually means. 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