In addition to holding back hunger and thirst all day long during the month of Ramadan, married couples must also control their sexual desires.
For some couples, especially newlyweds, holding back sexual desire can be more difficult than holding back hunger.
Is there a way to control sexual desire during Ramadan?
A survey conducted at Northwestern University, USA, stated that the average adult man thinks about sex 19 times per day, while women think about it 10 times a day.
This means that while fasting, you are required to repeatedly reject and eliminate these thoughts. To prevent sexual desires from interfering with your fasting, you can try the following tips.
Sorting out what should be seen and what should not be seen
Leon F. Seltzer, Ph.D, a psychologist and author of “Paradoxical Strategies in Psychotherapy,” explains that men are generally very sensitive to visual stimuli.
“As soon as they (men) see a visual stimulus, the part of the brain associated with sexual desire or drive will react,” said Leon.
Therefore, try as much as possible to avoid viewing things that can stimulate your sexual desire. For example, don’t browse pornographic websites or stare at the opposite sex for too long.
Avoid dirty thoughts
Visual stimuli that trigger male lust apparently have no effect on women. Leon explained that women are usually more influenced by the dramatization of films or novels they read.
“So sometimes they’ll fantasize about being the characters in romantic films or dramas. This kind of imagination can actually stimulate women’s sexual desire,” explained Leon.
According to Nayaswami Diksha, director of the Ananda healing, meditation and yoga center in the United States, the best way to overcome dirty thoughts is to divert them to positive things.
“For example, by remembering and saying God’s name repeatedly,” he suggested.
If dirty thoughts have already crossed your mind, immediately divert or disperse them, for example by remembering the list of tasks piled up in the corner of your desk.
Do light exercise
When aroused, most blood flows directly from the heart to your intimate organs. Exercise or other physical activity allows the heart to pump blood evenly to other parts of the body, such as the hands and feet, rather than focusing on the intimate organs.
“Try light exercise, like yoga, for example. This will redistribute your energy to other parts of your body and reduce your sexual desire,” Nayaswami explained.
If you don’t have time to exercise or don’t like exercising, then do other activities such as cleaning the house or playing music.
Regulate your breathing
Simple breathing techniques can also help distract your mind from sexual desires. Nayaswami explains that when a person takes a deep breath, it directly lifts energy from the lower body to the upper body, namely the head.
“While regulating your breathing, try to divert your thoughts to something more positive and joyful,” he added.
Improve spirituality
The month of Ramadan is an opportunity to get closer to the Creator and improve oneself. So, instead of being busy imagining things, it’s better to do things that can increase your love for God, such as attending recitations, doing tadarus, or doing charity activities.
