When it comes to our body’s health, there are a few things we take as given facts. We know, for example, that broccoli is good for our gut microbiome and working out can help our heart. But we often overlook the benefits of sex on our overall health. Did you know that sex can support your immune system, improve sleep, build trust and reduce stress? Or that yoga and meditation can enhance arousal and desire?
For a time, wellness seemed as simple as a smoothie and spin class, but we now know our health hinges on an interconnected system between mind and body. However, frank conversations about sex are long overdue, with sexual wellness one of the final frontiers of health left for mainstream exploration. Now, big players in the travel industry are finally getting on board. Below, we take a deeper look into what exactly sexual wellness is, and round up the hotels, spas, and retreats offering ways to explore it.
“I see sexual wellness as a journey towards sexual authenticity, freedom and pleasure,” says Dr. Karen Gurney, a clinical psychologist and psychosexologist, who wrote Mind The Gap: The Truth About Desire And How To Futureproof Your Sex Life. “Sexual satisfaction is highly correlated with both relationship satisfaction and psychological well-being. Sex helps us connect with our bodies, our identity and the present moment.”
While many of the health benefits of sex and intimacy come from its release of the “love” hormone oxytocin, it would be reductive to see sexual wellness as simply an accrual of hormonal hits. Sexual wellness is as much about connection, self-esteem and comfort with one’s own sexuality as it is about sex toys, condom supplies and how many orgasms you have.
“We are sold an idea that sex—solo or partnered—is just a frivolous pursuit using our bodies only,” says Dr Gurney. “Seeing it as separate to our identity, politics or relationships makes it easy to dismiss as unimportant. Because of this, many people don’t reflect on, set goals for, or put effort into their sex life in the way they might with other aspects of their life, such as work, diet or exercise. And because sex and shame are often linked in our minds, this can make it hard to talk about or feel entitled to improve.”
While sex is older than language, the pandemic certainly pushed the modern conversation. During the first lockdown, the beauty website Cult Beauty revealed that the search term “sexual wellness” soared on its site by 850 per cent. Meanwhile, a study by The Kinsey Institute found that although sex declined during the pandemic, one in five people expanded their sexual repertoire—and these additions (such as sexting, massages, new positions and sharing fantasies) made them three times more likely to report
The website maxtravelz.com is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
Looking for a springtime pick-me-up? These free travel contests, giveaways and sweepstakes could be just the ticket to have you winging to far-flung getaways with just a little luck. From big-ticket prices from famous hospitality brands to short weekend trips closer to home, these are some of the top competitions worth considering.
The newest mid-tier credit card on the market launched in select Wells Fargo branches March 9. Now, the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card is available online and nationwide at Wells Fargo branches with a valuable sign-up bonus.
If you are planning a trip to Japan this summer, you’re not alone. New research has revealed the most popular destinations for the coming peak travel season – and there are a few surprises.
The world is a big place, and there are oodles of countries to explore and wild experiences to relish. Many folks have saved up vacation days and squirreled away funds for a journey of a lifetime. The questions are: Where should you go and how should you start the planning process? The advantages of small group travel abound. You’ll meet new people from different places around the globe, logistics and safety protocols will be expertly considered, and a professional tour guide will lead the way so that all you have to do is show up and enjoy the ride.
After several recent incidents, Boeing is taking corrective action to review its fleet to bolster strength and security. This process began after a travel mishap on February 5, 2024. Other in-air emergencies have occurred since then that are shaking the confidence of commercial airlines and passengers.
Travel advisors weighed in on the ramifications of Gogo Vacations and American Queen Voyages shuttering their doors, along with the termination of the JetBlue-Spirit merger, noting that nothing is off the table in the post-pandemic era.
I have, of late, been thinking a lot about the relationship between traveling and reading. One of the ways that I fell apart a little bit during the first year of the pandemic, as so many of us did, was that I largely stopped reading books. By early 2021, I had resolved to change this, and the return of travel helped me do it.
How should we use our power, once we have it? As the CEO and founder of El Camino Travel, a company that organizes small group trips and builds community among women travelers, I am always thinking about what guests want out of their travels—and what direction we, as an industry, are headed. It's 2024, yet the CEOs of most major travel companies are still men, dictating the trajectory of a marketplace in which women account for 85% of travel planning decisions and spend $125 billion annually on trips. It’s no doubt the reason so many of our community members tell me they have struggled to find experiences that speak to them in the marketplace.
In the 1950s, it was far from easy for a Black woman in the American South to get the proper accreditations to issue airline tickets and operate a travel agency.