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When it comes to the bedroom, the speed at which people can hop between the sheets varies wildly. Some men need plenty of time to get their motor running before they are ready to perform, while other men can get down to business just as soon as their partner says “Go.” In much the same way, how men react after achieving orgasm varies greatly. Some men would rather sit and catch their breath, while other men will be raring to go for round two. But suppose you’re more the “Group A” type then the “Group B” type; suppose your partner is ready for round two, and while you’re certainly game, you find that your body just can’t produce an erection. Could this mean you have a form of erectile dysfunction?

Absolutely not. While men vary wildly, there is one thing that all men have to deal with: the post-ejaculation refractory time, or PERT. PERT is the scientific term for what the body goes through after achieving orgasm. During this period, sex is the furthest thing from his mind, and his body will not react to sexual stimuli. But what differs is how long this period lasts in a man.

Research has found that the standard PERT runs about 30 minutes. That means, during these 30 minutes, your body will be physically incapable of achieving an erection. But PERT can vary from man to man; some men will be past PERT and ready to go after 5 minutes, while others may experience PERT for hours.

What’s important to remember is that PERT is not an indicator of erectile dysfunction. It is a standard reaction of the body, and should be not a cause for concern. With work, you should be able to pinpoint your standard PERT, and with this information you can work with your partner to determine how frequently you can engage in sexual intercourse.

There’s no two ways about it: Meat is delicious. Whether you’re noshing on a burger or tearing through a steak, men often find it difficult to say no to meat. But, like all things in life, meat should be enjoyed in moderation. A good, balanced diet consisting of greens and meat will keep a man’s waist slim and his health issues minimal. But since fruits and veggies are so efficient at keeping men healthy, could a man potentially avoid health hazards such as erectile dysfunction by switching to a vegan diet?

Well, switching to a healthy diet of all-natural fruits and veggies certainly isn’t a bad choice, but odds are that going meat-less won’t fix your erection single handedly. However, if you suffer from ED, going to vegan can actually give you a leg up in overcoming the sexual issue; it just won’t be able to mend the problem on its own.

While ED can rear its ugly head due to mental hang-ups (depression, anxiety, etc.), it can also develop from physical issues such as diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol. When ED is physical in nature, making positive lifestyle choices can give your body a fighting chance against your erectile woes.

Switching to a diet rich in fruits and veggies is a good way to improve arterial flow within the body, which, in turn, is a good way to improve blood flow to the penis, thus improving the chances of achieving an erection.

Diets too high in rich meats, fatty foods, and sugars cause the body to develop plaque build-up on artery walls, which slows blood flow through the body and can lead to health issues, such as ED. When you eat healthy, plaque will begin to dissipate, leading to improved blood flow.

But eating healthy alone won’t save your sex life. Get up and get active, and cut out cigarettes and overdrinking. Make positive lifestyle choices, and your body will have a fighting chance against erectile dysfunction.

When it comes to erectile dysfunction, it may feel like you’re in a deep, dark hole with no way out. After all, even with a steady diet of ED drugs, it can feel like you’ll never be able to shake your erectile woes off. But when it comes to treating ED, it pays to look after your body. By exercising, getting active, and eating well, you’ll put your body back on track and save your sex life.

But while anyone can cut out fatty foods and sweets, what foods should a man incorporate into his diet to overcome erectile dysfunction? Unfortunately, there isn’t any one “miracle food” that will put pep in a man’s step and return his erection to its former glory. But there are plenty of foods that have been found to facilitate a healthy erection. By investing in these foods, and eating them regularly, you’ll be giving your body a fighting chance to overcome your erectile problems.

If you’re looking for foods to help you beat ED, keep your eyes peeled for these tasty treats the next time you’re at the grocery store:

Dark chocolate (Really! Dark chocolate has flavonoids that help to improve blood circulation. But enjoy it in moderation.)

Leafy greens and beats (These veggies are chock full of nitrates, which help the body to open up blood vessels and improve blood flow.)

Watermelon (Filled with phytonutrients, which relax the blood vessels.)

Tomatoes (This fruit is filled with lycopene, which is good for opening up the blood vessels and improving blood flow.)

You’ll notice all these foods focus on improving blood flow, which is a surefire way to get blood quicker to the penis, ensuring that the body has an easier time achieving an erection.

While these foods won’t beat ED on their own, they’ll definitely give you a helping hand. So if you’re looking to overcome erectile issues, consider mixing up your diet with these foods.

When it comes to a sexual issue like erectile dysfunction, the root cause isn’t always sexual in nature. ED may occur due to stress at work, or feelings of depression, or worries over financial stability. But because ED affects a sexual organ, the common thought is that the cause of the issue must also be sexual.

As such, when a man suddenly finds himself unable to achieve an erection, his partner may begin to wonder if it could be due to deep-seated issues concerning attraction. Does not being able to achieve an erection mean the man is no longer interested in his partner? Does it mean that the man no longer finds his partner attractive? The partner may begin to think that the ED has appeared because the man just doesn’t care for them anymore, which spirals into feelings of resentment, which in turn morphs into bigger problems.

But remember, erectile dysfunction is not caused solely be sexual issues. When a man suddenly struggles to achieve an erection, it is not because his partner does not make him sexually excited anymore. Odds are there is something mental, or perhaps even physical, going on that is causing the issue to happen. But in no way, shape, or form does erectile dysfunction indicate that a man is no longer attracted to his partner.

If you find yourself questioning if your man’s ED is due to attraction issues, sit him down and talk. Open discussion of erectile dysfunction is always awkward, but your man can assure you that the problem isn’t attraction based. With a little open discussion, and the help of a medical professional, together you can get to the root of the problem, find a way to overcome it, and reclaim your sex life.

It happens to the best of us: It’s way past your bed time, but you find yourself staring at the ceiling, tossing and turning, hoping in vain that sleep will creep up on you any second now. Sleep may eventually come, but you’ll pay the price next morning: Bloodshot eyes, yawns a plenty, a constant yearning for a nap. Yep, you didn’t sleep well and now you’re feeling seriously fatigued. But to add insult to injury, consistently not sleeping well doesn’t just affect your ability to stay awake; it can also end up killing your sex life.

For men that struggle with sleeping, the body can often feel too tired to get down to business between the sheets. Even if you genuinely want sex, your body, deprived of sleep, can’t muster up the focus to help you perform. This leads to signals from your penis to the brain for an erection get lost in the jumble of fatigue, leading to you wondering why you can’t get it up.

Even if you manage to catch a couple Z’s every now and again, you may still struggle to achieve an erection. When sleep deprived ED becomes consistent, you may run into problems getting an erection due to nerves over the problem happening again, even if you’re fully rested. In essence, even if you sleep, you’ll become self-conscious over the problem happening again, leading to the problem happening again, essentially dooming yourself to a vicious circle.

Thankfully, the solution for sleep deprived ED is simple: Get more sleep. But for men that struggle to sleep, this is a solution that is a lot easier said than done. Speak to your doctor about potential ways to improve your sleep, or invest in some sleep aids. Once you’ve gotten your sleep schedule back on track, your brain should be able to focus once more, and your erection should return to normal.

You have a meeting you need to plan. You have a quote you need to hit by the end of next week, and your numbers aren’t even close. The boss is expecting big things out of you, and you don’t know if you can deliver on his expectations. When you’ve got a full plate like this, it can cause work to become stressful. And while you may try to leave your work problems at work, as this stress continues to grow, it can spill into your personal life and may ultimately affect you in the bedroom.

When you have a head full of stress, it can often feel downright impossible to focus your mind on anything that isn’t related to your stressors. Sure, you may engage in other activities and manage to focus on other things at times, but it always feels like this stress is lurking in the back of your mind. When you bring that stress between the sheets, your brain may struggle to deal with sexual factors, causing these feelings to get lost in the ether and ultimately go unprocessed.

Your erection depends upon signals from your brain for when its time to get to work. When your penis is sending sexual cues to your brain, but your brain is focused on stress instead of the situation at hand, these signals do not get properly sorted and your penis never gets the go ahead, leading to missed erections, which can eventually snowball into full blown erectile dysfunction.

So yes, if work has been particularly stressful, it is very possible that your brain can’t properly focus on sex, leading to erectile issues. Thankfully, getting over stress-induced ED is quite simple: Figure out ways to cope with the stress. Either come up with plans on your own, or work with a psychologist, and you should work out ways to cope with workplace stress. Once you’ve gotten your stress sorted, your brain can get back to focusing on the bedroom and your erection should be back to normal.