For many people, it won’t probably take much effort to convince you to have more sex. But, for people who have brushed off their sex lives off into the backseat, you are missing a lot of many other things than just pleasure. Having sex offers numerous health benefits from reducing stress, fighting diseases to adding more to your years.
Here’s a full list of the health benefits of sex:
1. Sex Burns Calories.
If you aren’t a gym buddy and just too tired to get up and exercise, there is one exercise you will surely enjoy doing while burning calories. Yes, you got it right. Sex, depending on how long it lasts and how much pumping action is involved can help you burn calories.
On average, a lovemaking session from foreplay to orgasm lasts up to 20 minutes. At this rate, you will burn about 150 calories. The number may seem low, but it is better than just sitting or lying around all day.
2. Sex Takes You to a Deep Slumber.
Do you often find it difficult to sleep? The answer to your sleeping problem could be the person next to you. The next time you feel like falling into slumber is going to be difficult, have some healthy sex with your partner.
The director of the Sexual Psychophysiology Laboratory at the University of Texas, Cindy M. Meston, Ph.D., said that during your sex your body releases endorphins or hormones that induce a positive and relaxed feeling, which prepare your body and mind for slumber.
On the other hand, you should keep in mind that wild sex at night will likely keep you up because it will make you feel energized. It is best to opt for a slow and passionate sex if you want to doze off after.
3. Sex Helps Relieve Stress.
You know how it goes. There is stress at work, not to mention the stress at home. Stress is inevitable because there are stressors everywhere. Avoid feeling all worked up. Relieve stress by having sex. As mentioned, during sex your body releases endorphins or the feel good hormones.
In a research study conducted by the University of the West of Scotland, 46 adult men and women were deliberately placed in a stressful situation, such as public speaking and solving math problems. The researchers asked the participants to keep track of their sexual activities two weeks before the actual test. The result showed that those who had sexual intercourse were less stressed and their blood pressure quickly returned to normal after speaking in front of an audience compared to those who masturbated or did not have sex at all.
But, wait. Stress and sex have a complex relationship. Sex relieves stress but stress can make you avoid sex altogether because it takes you out of the mood. So how do you work your way into this complex relationship? Simple. Have sex regularly even when you aren’t stressed or problematic about something.
If what causes you stress is fear of under performance, no more worries because you can now quickly achieve a more solid and longer lasting erection by taking male enhancing supplements, such as ExtenZe. It is all natural and has no side-effects. Still, check with your doctor before taking any male enhancing supplement.
4. Sex Boosts Your Immunity.
Colds viruses can easily spread and affect you. How do you prevent yourself from getting sick? Have sex because it helps boost your immunity.
Psychologists Carl J. Charnetski, Ph.D., and Francis X. Brennan Jr., Ph.D. conducted a study, which was later on cited in their book, Feeling Good is Good for You: How Pleasure Can Boost Your Immune System and Lengthen Your Life. In this study, the researchers took saliva samples from 111 college students, and they later questioned the students about the frequency of their sexual intercourse in over the past month.
Analysis of the saliva samples showed that those who had sex more than once a week had 30 percent higher antigen immunoglobulin A compared that those who less frequent sex. According to Dr. Charnetski, antigen immunoglobulin A is our body’s defense against cold and flu viruses. It is an antibody that detects and neutralizes pathogens, such as bacteria and viruses.
Did you know that combating common illness, such as colds is one of the health benefits of ginger, too? And if you find you’re not in the mood for sex, leverage the immunity-building health benefits of garlic, which also contains allicin to help boost your libido.
5. Sex Makes You Look Younger.
Now you can quit looking for the fountain of youth because you have already found the answer to your aging worries. Having sex can help to keep the wrinkles and fine lines at bay.
A 10-year study by Dr. David Weeks of royal Edinburgh Hospital found out that sex may help people look younger than their age. Dr. Weeks interviewed 3,500 adults living in the United States and in England about their sex lives to determine the benefits of a healthy sex life. He found out that those who looked younger for their age are those who had 50 percent more sex than the other adult participants.
The reason behind the anti-aging effect of having frequent sex could be due to the release of human growth hormone or HGH during an intercourse. Human growth hormones play a role in keeping the skin firm and elastic.
6. Frequent Ejaculation Reduces The Risk of Prostate Cancer.
Photo by BruceBlaus / CC BY-SA
Many men suffer from prostate cancer. Though it is a curable disease, studies suggest that frequent ejaculation may help prevent prostate cancer.
Researchers at the National Cancer Institute analyzed the data from 29,000 men with age ranging from 46 to 81 from a U.S. study. They found out that the men who had 21 or more orgasms in a month were less likely to suffer from prostate cancer compared to the men with seven or less ejaculation in a month.
The researchers hypothesized that the frequent ejaculation clears the prostate of secretions and reaching orgasm helps relieve stress that could contribute to the development of cancer.
7. Sex Makes The Heart Healthy.
A healthy lifestyle can help keep your heart healthy but did you know having frequent sex may save your heart, too?
In a study by the New England Research Institutes, researchers monitored 1,165 men for 16 years and they found out that men who only had sex once a month or did not have sex at all were 50 percent more likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases than men participants who engage in sex more than once in a week.
Additionally, according to Dr. Nukta, a cardiologist, sex is a great aerobic exercise and aerobic exercises are good for the heart. This is because aerobic exercises can help lower high blood pressure and reduce stress. High blood pressure can make the heart work harder and damage blood vessels while stress triggers the release of hormones that constrict blood vessels.
Dr. Nukta also adds that frequent sex is healthy for your heart and keeping your heart healthy is necessary if you want to keep having frequent sex. So, what are you waiting for?
Speaking of heart health, did you know that one of health benefits of bananas is aiding normal heart function? Perhaps, you should eat two bananas in a day.
8. Sex Adds More to Your Years.
Who would have thought that having frequent sex could help extend your years?
Researchers in an Irish study monitored the mortality of 1,000 middle-aged men for over 10 years and they were able to establish that sexual activity contributes to good health. Taking their age and health into consideration, the researchers observed that men with the highest number of orgasms had a 50 percent lower death rate than the men who had less frequent ejaculations.
This health benefit of sex will surely get you going if having sex means more years to your life.
9. Sex Makes You Feel Happier.
There is no doubt that sex contributes to a person’s happiness, consensual sex that is. Researchers from an Australian study surveyed 5,000 people and results showed that 52 percent of married women and 135 percent of married are happier than the single women and men.
So what has sex got to do with their happiness in the survey? Another study conducted by researchers from the University of Chicago showed that married couples have 25 to 300 percent greater sexual activity than couples not living together, depending on their age.
10. Sex is a Natural Pain-Reliever.
Before reaching out for a pain reliever medication, you might want to consider a more natural remedy in easing your headache: sex.
A study done at the Headache Clinic at Southern Illinois University found that women who suffer from migraines reported experiencing relief after reaching orgasm. According to one of the researchers, your body releases endorphins during an orgasm. It is a hormone similar to morphine, which is effective for pain relief.
For the women out there refusing sex with your partner because of a headache, that is a huge mistake. To add, an orgasm that helps relieve a headache is not necessarily from a penile-vaginal intercourse, orgasm from masturbation will do.
11. Sex will ease Menstrual Cramps.
Having sex during a monthly period may seem like an uncomfortable idea but it has its good side. It can help relieve menstrual cramps because of the endorphins released during orgasm. It can also help end your period faster because the contractions of the uterus during orgasm help shed blood at a faster rate.
If you suffer from menstrual cramps, check out the health benefits of ginger.
12. Sex Helps Prevent Incontinence.
Sexercise is not only good in stretching your limbs it can also help improve bladder control particularly women.
Your pelvic floor muscles contract increasingly during orgasm. The contractions help strengthen the muscles and therefore will help improve your bladder control and could possibly lower your risk of incontinence in the future.
To further enhance this benefit, you can perform Kegel’s exercise during sex. If you are unfamiliar with the Kegel’s, you do it by tightening your lower pelvic muscles as if you are trying to stop urine flow.
13. Sex Makes Your Skin Glow.
Is your skin looking dull and lifeless? Have sex frequently to bring back the glow. Having sex increases blood circulation all over the body and when there is more blood there is more oxygen and nutrients to the skin cells. A post-coital can give your skin a temporary glowing complexion and it has long-lasting benefits on the skin too.
As mentioned before, orgasm encourages the release of endorphins and human growth hormones that can help combat the damaging effects of excessive sun exposure, smoking, and stress.
Ditch the expensive creams and spend more time with your partner in the bedroom and your skin will be grateful that you did.
14. Sex Accelerates Healing of Wounds.
Having sex may help heal wounds even those slow-healing wounds suffered by people with diabetes. During sex, your body releases oxytocin, a hormone that promotes wound healing and reduces inflammation by inhibiting certain types of cytokines.
15. Sex Curbs Depression.
The relationship between sex and depression is quite complicated. Depression can affect your sexual health and send your sex drive down the drain. On the other hand, sex can help improve your mood and counteract the effects of depression.
One interesting study suggests that exposure to semen, not just sperm, may help combat depression because the semen provides hormones and compounds that boost mood.
The reason of the initiation of the study on college-age women was the curiosity of the researchers over the link between sex and depression. They found out that the women who had sexual intercourse without using condoms were less likely to be depressed than those who used condoms. Moreover, the women who did not use condoms but had less frequent sex were more likely to be depressed. A study in men showed similar results, those who had less frequent sex tend to be depressed.
However, for people with more one sex partners and for couples who aren’t planning to start a family, unprotected sex may lead to problems, such as sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancy, which could possibly lead to depression.
16. Sex Makes Childbirth and Recovery Faster.
A lot of couples avoid having sex during pregnancy due to fear of hurting the baby, when in fact, it could even be beneficial.
First things first, experts say it is completely safe to have sex when you are pregnant or your partner is pregnant as long as there are no complications and your doctor already gave you a go signal. Again, sex will not hurt the baby and the mother.
Second, sex during pregnancy is actually beneficial in several ways. It promotes sleep, which is important for pregnant women. It boosts immunity. It is a form of exercise. It improves mood. Most importantly, the contractions during orgasm prepare the pelvic muscles for labor and it promotes a speedy postpartum discovery.
Do not miss out on these numerous healthy benefits of sex. As experts say the more you have sex the more you’ll want to sex, the more benefits you’ll reap.
Health Benefits of Kissing
Not in the mood for sex? Do not underestimate the power of locking lips and tongue with your partner. Here are the health benefits of kissing:
Lowers High Blood Pressure: Kissing arouses your body and it triggers the release of substances that dilates blood vessels, which in turn may help regulate blood pressure.- Boosts Your Mood: When you kiss, your body releases feel-good hormones, such as dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin. What’s more, these hormones can induce the feeling of wanting to be more intimate with your partner.
- Burns Calories: It may not burn as many calories as exercise and sexual intercourse but kissing can still burn calories better than sitting in front of the TV doing nothing.
- Fights Cavities: Kissing stimulates the production of saliva, which helps melt cavities to prevent them from accumulating on the teeth. The thing is, kissing is one way to transmit bacteria that cause cavities especially if your kissing partner has poor oral hygiene.
- Keeps Your Facial Muscles Firm: You already know that exercising can tone your muscles. Well, experts say you use about 30 muscles when you kiss so keep working these muscles to keep them firm and tight.
Lowers High Blood Pressure: Kissing arouses your body and it triggers the release of substances that dilates blood vessels, which in turn may help regulate blood pressure.So what are you waiting for? Grab your partner for a long and passionate kiss to reap the benefits of kissing.
Benefits of Masturbation
If you’re single and not dating at the moment and definitely not planning to get laid soon, self-help has it benefits as well. These are:
- Lowers Risk of Prostate Cancer: Ejaculation through sex or masturbation helps clear secretions that can build up in your prostate. These secretions may contain carcinogenic substances that contribute to cancer.
- Keeps the Penis Firm: Just like any other muscles in your body, your penis needs exercise to keep it well-developed and firm. Masturbation is a way of exercising the muscles around your penis so it won’t lose its form.
Makes You Last Longer: Masturbation is a natural way to remedy early ejaculation. Exploring your sexual response through masturbation enables you to determine when to stop to delay ejaculation and what makes you ejaculate too early.- Makes Your Feel Better: No doubt, releasing your bursting energy will surely make you feel relaxed after. But, there is an explanation of why you feel better after masturbating. Orgasm triggers the release of dopamine and oxytocin or mood-enhancing hormones that activate the pleasure and reward system of the brain.
Makes You Last Longer: Masturbation is a natural way to remedy early ejaculation. Exploring your sexual response through masturbation enables you to determine when to stop to delay ejaculation and what makes you ejaculate too early.The health benefits of sex, masturbation and kissing are reasons why you should maintain a healthy sex life.