Mindfulness sex is the new buzz word. Not everyone has a precise idea of what it means, because our image of good sex is usually pretty mechanical and relates more to the thing itself than to mindful interaction with our partner. But this is exactly what mindful sex aims at. Research is addressing the topic of mindfulness and sex as well, such as a study from 2019, which we would like to share with you.

The research team around Chelom E. Leavitt, Eva S. Lefkowitz and Emily A. Waterman deals with mindfulness, sexual and general satisfaction as well as self-love within a relationship. The study was designed to reveal whether mindfulness during sex with each other also made couples happier overall in their relationship and also gave them greater self-esteem. They attributed greater importance to mindfulness during the sexual act than to mindfulness in everyday life. Experiencing the here and now is thought to allow for better emotion regulation and more conscious behavior.

The researchers assumed that sexual mindfulness is associated with sexual satisfaction and, in addition, that relationship satisfaction and one's own self-esteem also benefit from a mindful approach.

They recruited 194 married U.S. men and women between the ages of 35-60, all of whom were heterosexual. They completed an online survey that tested various characteristics, including their mindfulness, their sexual mindfulness, sexual satisfaction, relationship satisfaction, and self-esteem. The data were analyzed using a regression analysis. 

It was found that more sexually mindful individuals generally had better self-esteem and were more satisfied with their relationships. In particular, women were observed to be more satisfied with their sex lives if they were sexually mindful individuals. Some of these results were still consistent even after controlling for the characteristics of mindfulness.

These results show, yes mindfulness increases sexual well-being. Based on these results, researchers and therapists may be better able to promote a person's sexual well-being, relationship well-being, and self-esteem by teaching sexual mindfulness skills.

**Citation**
- Leavitt, Chelom E.; Lefkowitz, Eva S.; Waterman, Emily A. (2019). The Role of Sexual Mindfulness in Sexual Wellbeing, Relational Wellbeing, and Self-Esteem. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, (), 1–12. doi:10.1080/0092623X.2019.1572680.

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Sexuelle Achtsamkeit in Korrelation mit einer zufriedeneren Beziehung? Das sagt die Forschung

Sexual mindfulness correlated with a more satisfying relationship? What the research says

Sex is one of the most natural things and is one of the basic needs of a human being. At least that is the theory, but not everyone feels the urge to have sex as much or as often. This can become a problem, especially in relationships.

In their 2021 study, "Navigating Women's Low Desire: Sexual Growth and Destiny Beliefs and Couples' Well-Being," Stephanie Raposo, Natalie O. Rosen, Serena Corsini-Munt and other researchers examined the impact of sexual desire and the beliefs behind it on couples' well-being.

To do this, the researchers conducted a longitudinal study of 97 couples who were in a committed relationship and in which the female partner reported low desire for sex. 77% were heterosexual, while the rest had different sexual orientations. The study included an analysis of the level of sexual desire, frequency of sex, rate of conflict, and partner satisfaction within the relationship. Another important variable was the partners' beliefs and convictions about how their sex life was going. The goal was to find out which, if any, of these items influenced the relationship partners' sex lives.

The researchers found that some, but not all, partners believed that a successful sex life was already predetermined for a couple. They concluded that it is important to work on one's own sex life. This can be done in a variety of ways, such as asking about each other's sexual preferences, exercises to promote emotional and sexual intimacy, or changing the environment. It was found that couples who felt that a successful sex life required effort and work were generally more satisfied with it.

Following the study, some of the female participants reported that their sex lives had improved significantly, which also suggests that a nudge to reflect on one's own sexual satisfaction or dissatisfaction can make a difference. It can be summarized that there is no harm in reflecting on one's sex life and viewing any problems as something that can be fixed. It can encourage informing, reading, communicating and trying things out, which in turn can make one's sex life blossom and increase sexual desire.

**Citation**
- Stephanie Raposo, Natalie O. Rosen, Serena Corsini-Munt, Jessica A. Maxwell & Amy Muise (2021): Navigating Women’s Low Desire: Sexual Growth and Destiny Beliefs and Couples’ Well-Being, The Journal of Sex Research, DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2021.1884179.

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Mehr Mühe für ein besseres Sexualleben? - Eine Studie über sexuelle Zufriedenheit durch mehr Bereitschaft

More effort for a better sex life? - A study on sexual satisfaction through more commitment

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