Did Your Sex Life Nose-Dive with the Economy?

Novelty is Nice:  One of the best ways to keep a sex life going is through novelty.  In economic hardship, experimentation should be at its highest.  One of the things I suggest to clients is trying something new with your partner.  This doesn’t mean planning a trip to southern France.  What it does mean is you should think about the options you have for entertaining yourselves on limited funds.  Many couples enjoy having a naked candlelight picnic in the living room.  Cook what you would normally cook for dinner, set up a blanket and some plates/silverware, pop open a bottle of wine and enjoy a new experience. 

For some added fun, couples can bring some fresh fruit and whipped cream and play with one another after dinner.  Put whipped cream on a strawberry and feed it to one another to add a little extra spice.  Slather whipped cream on your partner’s lips and lick it off.  When couples are regularly novel with one another (at least once a month but better on at least a biweekly basis), their relationship stays exciting.  It also allows for deep bonding through the experience of trying something new with each other.  By keeping your sex life fresh, you should be able to reduce stress and increase daily happiness, even as you brace yourself through the rest of the recession.


Dr. Debra Laino, DHS, M.ED., is a board certified sexologist/sex therapist with more than 10 years of professional experience in helping individuals and couples to identify, address and overcome their intimacy issues.  She is a regular columnist for Sex Appeal magazine and she has appeared frequently on Playboy Radio, WKEST San Francisco Talk Therapy and many other stations around the country. Her book Trolley Square is available through SynergEBooks, and her intimacy guide, Love for All Eternity – Guide to Intimacy, is available through RKR Publishing. For more information on Dr. Laino, visit www.delawaresexdoc.com.