5 things women wish they had known about sex, according to a new study

If you've ever felt stressed about sex, allow this new study to offer a sigh of relief. 

Lovehoney (opens in new tab) spoke candidly with 2,000 participants about intimacy and how our sex lives change throughout the course of time. Throughout the study, women realized there's more to sex than kinky foreplay ideas and mind-blowing orgasms. Actually, there are a lot of areas that we don't even take into consideration when talking about sex, like mental health, for one. 

If something has ever felt off between the sheets, know that you're not alone—in fact, there are plenty of women who've 100% had the same questions as you.

Sex realizations: 5 things women wish they had known 

While delving deeper into their research, Lovehoney took a look at how sex affects our periods, pregnancy, menopause and more. (You can read the study in full over on the Lovehoney (opens in new tab) blog.)

Whatever you might've deemed "abnormal" at any point in time—like a change in your sex drive or a change in orgasm intensity—rest assured, you are not alone. The sexual wellness company decided to burst the bubble and reveal a few tidbits women wished they had figured out sooner:

• Having sex on your period is normal and healthy: 35%
• It's normal for things such as depression to impact your ability to orgasm: 30%
• Periods can lead to a higher sex drive: 30%
• It's normal for your sex drive to change without a significant event occurring: 28%
• It's normal for medications to impact your sex drive: 25%

The unanimous thoughts of sexperts? As long as there is happiness, consent and comfort between you and your partner, continue to do whatever makes you feel your best. And don't worry—nothing is ever abnormal.

“There’s no set answer on how to ensure sexual happiness and wellbeing as it will be dependent of the situation partly. However there is a strong like to greater sexual wellbeing and sex life when there’s the ability to consent and communicate. This can allow repair when any sexual discrepancies do arise and help individuals, couples, and moresomes find solutions to any issues that do occur, Ness Cooper (opens in new tab), clinical sexologist and therapist, told the brand.