4 surprising ways in which your mental health is affecting your vagina

You might think your vagina has nothing to do with your mental health, right? We thought so too but turns out, there’s definitely a link between the two. The way you feel has a deep impact on your vagina. It may sound bizarre but it’s actually the truth!

Observing any changes in your vaginal discharge or any form of discolouration might mean you need to check your emotional health. You see, stress and anxiety cause your body to release high amounts of the stress hormone cortisol. This results in a hormonal imbalance in your body. Eventually, the balance of bacteria in your lady parts gets affected.

The bottom line is that it is important to keep a note of how your vagina feels on different days. If your symptoms continue for a long period of time, it’s important to consult a gynaecologist to treat the problem.

Here are 4 different ways in which your mental health can affect your vagina:

1. Increases the occurrence of vaginal infections

Experts suggest that stress hormones can decrease the level of the vagina’s free glycogen and lactobacilli bacteria. This causes a decrease in lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide synthesis. Moreover, it can also lead to a reduction in the pH levels of the vagina, and create an environment that is favourable for vaginal infections.

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2. Increases the risk of STDs

This might sound surprising but stress can increase a woman’s risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhoea, chlamydia, HIV and even fungal infections. Hence, you need to be particularly careful about your mental health.

3. Can lead to pregnancy complications

Women who are pregnant are at a higher risk of damaging their vaginal health, especially if they are prone to high levels of anxiety and stress. In some cases, it can also cause pregnancy-related complications such as pre-term labour and infection in the uterus.

4. Affects your sex life

A rise in cortisol levels causes a reduction in testosterone. This can cause severe dryness and discomfort in the vagina during sexual intercourse. Unfortunately, it can impact your sexual relationship with your partner, and add more stress.

Here’s how you can manage stress levels

• Spend time exercising and practising meditation
• Develop a hobby to divert your mind from negative thoughts
• Sleep well for at least 8 hours every night
• Eat a nutritious diet full of vegetables and fruits
• Avoid caffeine and high-sugar foods that are unhealthy
• Do not go overboard when it comes to alcohol, drugs or smoking
• Stay away from vaginal douches or over-the-counter vaginal hygiene products
• Maintain a healthy work-life balance

Ladies, you need to keep stress at bay for a happy and healthy vagina!