Experts issue warning to anyone neglecting specific sex act after moving in with your partner

A therapist has issued a stark warning about the importance of making 'special time' for you, even after shacking up with your partner.

Transitioning from residing alone as a single pringle to living with a love interest can be tricky business. Sure, it's great to have access to bedroom escapades at any desired moment - but it can also see self-gratification shown the door, inadvertently or otherwise.

As we say, however, a psychosexual therapist has since issued a warning against putting all your eggs in your partner's basket when it comes to intimacy, emphasising that masturbation should definitely not be cast aside.

Speaking to Metro, Gigi Engle explained: "The sex life we have with ourselves is independent from our partners and needs to be nurtured.

"It belongs inside relationships as much as it does when you’re single."

Experts say it's essential to avoid disappointment (Getty Stock Image)

Going on, she added that the expectation that our partner is responsible for fulfilling all of our sexual needs should be abandoned, to avoid both disappointment and mood-killing confrontations in the bedroom.

The reality is, she says, that women are scientifically harder to please than men, with their genitalia being considerably more complex, and often needing some extra TLC.

As such, women need to continue getting to know their own bodies, even when they live with a partner.

"We feel self-conscious about masturbating when we live with someone because we have so much shame around solo sex," Engle continued. "It’s viewed as this dirty, shameful thing — so there’s fears of getting caught and being judged, a fear you’ll make your partner feel inadequate."

The sexpert went on to add that, in an ideal world, masturbation would be encouraged between partners and not seen as an insult aimed at one another's faults or failings.

"Really, we need to embrace sexual relationships with ourselves," Engle explained. "Sex with our partners isn’t the only 'real' type of sex."

That being said, however, she's well aware that not everyone might want their partner, if they're particularly partial to sensitivity, to know they've been single-handedly fooling around without them.

Experts say self-gratification is key (Getty Stock Images)

Adding that, whilst people 'don't owe [their] partner transparency', conversations about masturbation could prove rather eye-opening.

For those who wish to keep their self-pleasure, well, to themselves, however, sex and relationship expert Annabelle Knight issued advice to anyone whose partner walks in on them in the act.

She went on to tell the publication that a person's other half should ideally react in one of three ways - the first being totally fine with it.

That said, though, they could, option two, try to join in, or option three, express their disappointment.

"Masturbation isn’t about replacing or rejecting, but rather it’s about topping up your own pleasure reserves," she continued. "The more comfortable you feel taking time for yourself, the more relaxed and connected you’ll feel in your relationship too."

This, she believes, should be explained to the partner in this scenario.

"It helps to be open about this and frame masturbation as self-care rather than a rejection," Knight added. "A simple, 'Sometimes I like to take a bit of time for myself— it’s nothing to do with us, it just helps me unwind' is honest and reassuring."