You're probably doing little things every day that are unintentionally ruining your sex life—at least that's what science thinks. This applies to both men and women.
While research on sexual attraction focuses heavily on heterosexual couples, anyone of any gender identity or sexual orientation can learn how to increase their attractiveness by addressing mood-killing habits. Science has discovered patterns that can make or break your sex drive and sexual attraction.
These are 13 micro habits that are subtly sabotaging your sex life.
1. An unattractive smile
Believe it or not, smiling is not omnipresent when it comes to sex appeal. A surprising micro-habit that kills sex appeal is the fake smile - some people smile with their teeth, not their eyes.
A sign of a genuine smile is the small wrinkles that appear near the eyes. It is named after the researcher who discovered it The Duchenne smile. A genuine smile that forms slowly is considered more attractive than a fast, flashy, fake smile. Men who smile too often lose their attractiveness. Research namely, they show that women find the facial expressions of capricious boys more attractive than the faces of men forced to smile. Of course, this does not mean that men should never smile.
How to fix this habit: smile slowly and engage your eyes.
2. Watching unsexy movies
There's a reason date nights often involve movies. But many make a mistake that you can easily fix. The choice of film is very important. After research, published in Science Daily, watching romantic movies increases attraction, connection, and greater intimacy.
Horror movies they excite our bodies much like sexual attraction. So horror movies are another good choice. Men can double their sex appeal during scary movies by remaining calm and unfazed. Conversely, women who show signs of fear during scary movies increase their attractiveness.
How to fix this habit: watch romantic comedies or horror movies with your date or partner. If you are a man, show less signs of fear. If you're a woman, show more of them.
3. Unattractive vocabulary
The words you use (or don't use) may be killing your sex appeal. Women rate men who are not too talkative as more attractive. Probably because it shows their creativity and intelligence.
Other research show that men increase their sex appeal when they give metaphorical compliments and tell better stories.
For women, most verbal factors had no effect on attractiveness. The only exception may be that women often unconsciously suppress their vocabulary in order not to intimidate men.
How to fix this habit: if you're a man, expand your vocabulary, use rarer words in conversation, compliment women with metaphors, and tell better stories by varying the speed and volume of your voice. We suggest that women embrace their intelligence and find strong partners who appreciate their vocabulary.
4. Unattractive hair
Your shaving habit can hinder your sex life. Men with clean-shaven faces are less attractive to women. Women with narrower, shaped faces are more attractive.
Research on sexual attractiveness show that most women prefer men with stubble to a clean-shaven face. Keep in mind that stubble doesn't mean a full pirate beard.
How to fix this habit: for both men and women, simple facial exercises can help transform your face. In addition, men can chew gum and shave stubble, while women can use make-up to style their look.
5. Unattractive diets
What you eat can also affect your libido, sex drive and sex life. A study, published in the Journal of Psychological Research, showed that women who ate spicy food rated men as more attractive. If you eat more fish, your sex drive will also increase. After research people who ate fish at least twice a week enjoyed 22 % more sex.
Coffee, however, is mostly intended for ladies. Drinking coffee before sex has been shown to activate your libido and increase the intensity and frequency of your orgasms.
How to fix this habit: eat more spicy food and fish. Ladies, drink coffee before sex.
6. Unattractive smell
Proper hygiene is always in fashion. Research male and female pheromones reveal some surprising clues, such as eating the right foods that can emit scents that send blood to someone else's genitals.
If men eat more vegetables and less carbohydrates, they smell better to women. Eating enough zinc and exercising also contribute to this, as fresh sweat releases strong male pheromones full of androstenol, which is attractive to women. Aromatic scents such as cinnamon, lavender and vanilla stimulate sexual attraction.
How to fix this habit: men and women may exercise more often and use perfumes, colognes and other aromatic fragrances to attract the opposite sex.
7. Unattractiveness of the familiar
A study published in the Journal of Psychological Science, showed that women are more attracted to men who show ambiguous feelings towards them. Uncertainty increases attraction and desire.
Men also prefer the unknown. Men are in one studies rated women as significantly less attractive when they viewed their photos before a date.
How to fix this habit: both men and women can write less and take some time for themselves, away from their partner. Women may limit pre-date interactions. Men can maintain secrecy by avoiding crystal clear expressions of attraction.
8. Unappealing bedtime routine
Your bedtime routine may be ruining your sex life. Research however, they show that a relaxing bath before bed can do wonders for your body and your sex appeal. This way, you can get a healthy amount of sleep, but when you feel relaxed and rested, you naturally exude a calm confidence that is insanely attractive.
In addition, women who have enough sleep are more easily aroused, have orgasms and are more sexually active. Sleep also affects men. Men with sleep problems are more likely to have erectile dysfunction.
How to fix this habit: relax in a relaxing bath or shower before bed. Treat yourself to 8 hours of restful sleep every night.
9. Unattractive voice
Your voice can also affect your attractiveness. We often ignore the voice and think that it is not important or that we cannot change it. A study she discovered small micro-voice habits that promote sexual attraction.
Based on a study, men prefer women with breathy, slightly higher voices. A deep, throaty voice can be just as sexy. Women prefer men with deeper voices with a hint of breathiness.
How to fix this habit: women and men can develop deeper voices by gargling in the morning, developing stronger neck muscles, and diaphragmatic breathing. Women can develop a more breathy voice by relaxing the vocal cords.
10. Unattractive dating profile
When Zoosk surveyed their 4,000 active members, found that adding the words "creative" and "ambitious" to men's profiles increased their matches. Thus, men and women receive 52 % more messages when they disclose that they have separated or divorced.
How to fix this habit: update your dating profile. Focus on the positive instead of the negative, reveal the separation and – especially for men – mention qualities like creativity and ambition.
11. Unattractive selfie
Zoosk also found that men with selfies on their dating profiles received fewer messages. Both women and men preferred full-body photos, while men were milder on selfies.
According to research profiles with selfies as the main photo have a negative response rate of 8%. In contrast, profiles with a full-body photo have a 203% response rate.
How to fix this habit: include full body photos. If you're a man, have a friend take your photo.
12. Unattractive clothes
A small color change can make you look much sexier.
Many of us wear the same outfits or outfits in the same color tones every day. We may not give much thought to how the color of our clothing adds to or detracts from our overall attractiveness. Studies however, they show that wearing red is sexy for both men and women.
Everyone prefers a certain look. Science offers some clues here as well. Women can wear fitted clothes that accentuate the hourglass figure. Men can choose clothing that accentuates a more traditionally masculine carrot shape.
How to fix this habit: women and men can wear red. Both genders can also focus on clothing that accentuates traditionally female or male body shapes.
13. Unattractive gait
You may be losing your attraction by walking. It's a simple, unconscious body movement that can greatly affect your sex appeal. A study found that men who paraded and women who bumped their hips while walking were seen as more attractive.
How to break this habit: men, walk proud, women, walk with a slight sway in your hips.
Don't try to change all at once. Master one new micro habit at a time. Build it like a muscle. Practice this habit for a week or a month until it becomes second nature. Then move on to the next habit.
"Changes that seem small and insignificant at first will yield tremendous results if you stick with them for years." – James Clear
