Does alcohol improve or worsen sex?

Alcohol can boost confidence, but does it affect competence in the bedroom?

Meg Howe
14th February 2023
Image: Pixabay
The effect alcohol has on our bodies is weird. It makes us behave in ways we probably wouldn’t when we are sober and not ‘under the influence’. Alcohol interferes with the brain's usual communication pathways, impacting the messages sent from the brain to our exterior. 

Personally, I become a risk taker: especially in the bedroom. As the chemical balance in my brain shifts - as a result of excessive alcohol consumption - the small pool of people I usually find attractive extends far beyond its normal diameters. I find myself ‘necking on' with someone my sober brain instantly regrets! 

There are lots of myths surrounding the impact that alcohol has on our sex lives. There’s the belief that it acts as an aphrodisiac; it loosens us up and makes us horny. The idea is that it makes us feel more (and feel things more intensely). I do believe this to be true, but I’m not sure how much of it is related to the fact that alcohol makes me feel more intense sexual feelings; rather, it completely dismantles the usual thoughts that might go through my head when swiping on a dating app. 

It can often be hard to work out if I’m horny because I’m relaxed or because the alcohol has given me ‘beer vision’

When you consume alcohol, it causes a muscle-relaxing effect. The entire nervous system slows down, with reaction times decreasing. It can often be hard to work out if I’m horny because I’m relaxed or because the alcohol has given me ‘beer vision’ (it seems that everyone is a solid S-tier when I’ve had a beer). 

However, just like everything else… the influence of alcohol on sex is not constant. As with each sober sexual experience, no one is exactly the same. All of this is subjective to the amount of alcohol that has been consumed. 

After one or two drinks, I definitely feel more sexy and confident. Any fear or anxiety that I’m going to embarrass myself quickly disappears after I’ve consumed just enough Dutch courage. However, in the words of Lucy Spraggan, after more drinks than I’d like to admit, I’m left with a little bit of ‘beer fear’. 

I recently slept with someone after having 4 glasses of wine (and not a lot to eat). The sex with fine, but that’s all it was. That isn’t to say that I regret it, but it wasn’t anything special. In hindsight, alcohol consumption was definitely one of the deciding factors in choosing to sleep with this man. But, despite the ‘weird’ feeling afterwards and the thought that there was a higher chance he’d remember anything embarrassing I’d done due to the lack of alcohol in his system, I think that in this instance the alcohol gave me the confidence to make the move myself. I have slept with the man since - and was sober - and I have to say that the sex was a lot better… 

I have slept with the man since - and was sober - and I have to say that the sex was a lot better… 

Sometimes one glass of wine ‘to take the edge off’ can lead to a great sexual experience, but after having a little too much to drink I can be left with feelings of shame, guilt and regret! 

AUTHOR: Meg Howe
Passionate History student and Educator

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