The Health Benefits of Having More Sex
The health benefits of sex outweigh the pleasures of orgasm. You get improved health in all kinds of ways, from relaxation, from lowering blood pressure to reducing stress. In fact, when you are in a good relationship, sex is one of the best things you can do for yourself. This is why.
It reduces stress.
If you’re stressed, sex may be the last thing on your mind. But if you can get inside yourself, sex is a great stress reliever. Sex floods your brain with all kinds of feel-good chemicals while lowering cortisol, the stress hormone. Dopamine, which affects the pleasure and reward center of the brain; endorphins, which can reduce pain and anxiety; and oxytocin, also known as the hug hormone, are all released during sex, with higher levels after orgasm.
It boosts mood.
Oxytocin promotes feelings of well-being and happiness. And you are not a bit like a rabbit and think so. A study of 30,000 American men and women between 1989 and 2012 found that having sex at least once a week in a strong relationship is enough to make people happy.
It is more than coital behavior that brings benefits. Studies of adults have found that holding hands, cuddling, kissing and hugging are also linked to improved quality of life.
Doing so can also prevent depression. Research shows that men and women who have sex with each other are more satisfied with their mental health. (Unfortunately, those benefits don’t extend to masturbation.)
But the boost doesn’t seem to work for casual sex or dating. A study of nearly 7,500 American students at 14 public universities found that those with multiple relationships had lower happiness and self-esteem, and higher levels of depression and anxiety.
Contrary to the idea that men can be good at casual sex, researchers did not find a difference between men and women.
It improves sleep.
Prolactin, a hormone that makes you feel relaxed, is also released after ovulation. The combination of prolactin and other “good” hormones is the reason why many people sleep well after sex.
To get the most prolactin, science recommends having an orgasm with your partner if possible. Research shows that prolactin levels in men and women after sex can be “400% higher than after masturbation.”
Unfortunately, lack of sleep – which affects a third of Americans – can also affect sexual satisfaction. A study of nearly 10,000 women between the ages of 50 and 79 found that those who slept less than seven or eight hours a night were more likely to have sex. The older the woman, the more likely she is to report having less sex when sleep deprived.
Sleep problems can be involved. For example, men and women with obstructive sleep apnea, characterized by loud snoring and breath-holding periods, report a less active sex life.
Men are especially affected. To produce testosterone, men need a good amount of rest, uninterrupted sleep. Without it, they may have low testosterone levels and suffer from erectile dysfunction. What happens when sleep improves? Good news for both men and women: libido increases. According to a 2015 study, women who sleep well are more likely to have sex the next day. In fact, an increase of one hour of sleep is associated with a 14% increase in a woman’s chance of having sex with her partner. Researchers at Walter Reed Military Hospital found that using a CPAP machine, a breathing device used to treat sleep apnea, improved sexual function and satisfaction for all men in their study, but it especially useful for those suffering from erectile dysfunction.
It strengthens your immune system.
Regular sex can also help you fight this disease.
Researchers at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania asked American college students how often they had sex each week, and used levels of immunoglobulin A, an antibody that acts as the body’s first line of defense, to to make their water. Students who have sex once or twice a week have the highest level of immunoglobulin A: 30% higher than those who do not have sex, but also those who have sex three times or more per week. In addition, students in long-term satisfying relationships had the highest levels of inhibition.
This makes sense when considering research on human support and the immune system. A study of 276 healthy volunteers at the University of Pittsburgh found that those with a diverse social network, including not only lovers but family, friends and colleagues, were most likely to catch a cold.
It reduces the risk of prostate cancer.
Good news for men: Frequent ejaculation appears to be associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer. A 2004 study published in the British Medical Journal examined the sex lives of more than 50,000 American men between the ages of 40 and 75. Men who reported 21 or more ejaculations per month were less likely to develop prostate cancer than those who did not. men ejaculate four to seven times a month. month. A research study published in 2016 showed the same result.
It improves heart health.
According to a study conducted at the New England Research Institute, men who have sex at least twice a week are 45 percent less likely to have heart disease than men who have sex once a month or less.
The 17-year study, which began in 1987, examined the sex lives of more than 1,000 men between the ages of 40 and 70; the researchers excluded other risk factors from the results, such as age, weight, cholesterol and blood pressure. Women also reap the benefits of sex for heart health. A 2016 study found that women who reported having frequent and satisfying sex had a lower risk of high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease. “Good sexual behavior can protect older women from the risk of heart disease later in life,” said co-author Hui Liu, a sociologist at Michigan State University.
It makes sense, says Laura Berman, a sex and relationship teacher, because of how women view sex. “It’s not the number of orgasms or the intensity of the sexual experience that predicts a woman’s sexual satisfaction,” Berman said. “It’s how close he feels to the person he’s having sex with, by kissing and hugging and by having sex. It is the key to her emotional and physical well-being, which benefits her health, her heart, and everything else.
It makes a close relationship.
Want more love in your life? Have more sex with your partner.
Four studies of engaged couples in the United States and Switzerland found that having sex increases feelings of love, not just after sex, but several hours later.
Also, for couples who felt more romantic after having sex, the effect was still evident six months later. “The more they have sex, the more they feel love; the less they have sex, the less romantic they are,” said psychologist Anik Debrot of the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, who led the study.
And sex doesn’t have to be sexual to have a positive effect, Debrot said. “These moments of feeling like lust or sexual arousal predict positive emotions.”
Ian Kerner, a psychologist who specializes in sex and couples therapy, agrees. When couples keep the sexual side of their relationship alive and intact, “it leads to a warmer relationship overall, which includes more touching and lack of sexual feelings and high respect for their partner,” he said.
It stimulates cognition.
If you’re looking for a great reason to improve your sex life as you age, here it is. Research shows that maintaining a healthy sex life into old age protects and improves brain function and memory. Analyzing data from the English Longitudinal Study of Aging, British researchers found that men who had sex between 50 and 89 had increased cognitive function, as measured by number and word recall, even after correction. for quality of life, loneliness, depression and physical problems. job. Females have the same sex advantage for memory but not for numerical order.
Men and women who are sexually active do better on tests than those who are not sexually active. In a follow-up study, researchers found that having sex at least once a week was a good predictor of better brain function, especially verbal communication.
It prevents pain.
Studies have shown that sex can reduce back pain, chronic back and leg pain, and even migraines.
A 2013 study of 1,000 headache sufferers in Germany found that 30% of cluster headache sufferers and 60% of migraine sufferers reported that if they had sex during behavior. Orgasm researcher Barry Komisaruk of Rutgers University points to research that shows “the emotional input produced by orgasmic stimulation produces a powerful analgesic effect” and that he says does not suppress emotions.
In a study written by Komisaruk and Rutgers sex researcher Beverly Whipple, who coined the term “G-spot,” they found that the pressure of the pleasurable stimulation increased pain by 40 percent. When the women reached orgasm, their pain tolerance increased by almost 75%. Scientists credit hormones released during sex, such as endorphins, which reduce pain and stress, and oxytocin, a hormone that helps mothers and babies bond and bond. anti-aging agents.
Is it exercise?
Can sex be a form of exercise? Yes, kind of, if you are young and fit and spend at least 30 minutes doing it. A study of 20 young couples found that they burn about 85 calories for every half hour of love in bed. Men burn more calories than women, with about 100 and 69 calories. “In comparison,” the researchers wrote, “the energy level of intercourse may be higher than that of walking at 4.8 km/h but lower than that of running at 8 km/h. ”
Still, a man will burn as many calories in half an hour of cooking, shopping, or driving, while women will get the same amount from office work and meetings. .
But what’s the most fun? In addition, experts point to the benefits of exercise related to other sexes: stretching muscles and tendons, flexible joints, and increased breathing capacity, heart rate, and blood flow, which in a strong man or woman, can make the body strong.