Not only does sex feel great – but it’s also a fantastic way to keep fit and healthy. Here are some sexy facts that you may not know.
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1. Sex Helps Keep Your Immune System in Peak Condition
Sexually active people take fewer sick days
says Yvonne K. Fulbright, PhD a sexual health expert.
People who do the horizontal mambo have higher levels of what defends your body against germs, viruses, and other nasties. Researchers at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania, U.S.A. found that students who had sex once or twice a week had higher levels of the a certain antibody compared to students who had sex less often – and this kept illness at bay.
But don’t rely on sex alone – you should still do all the other stuff that keeps your immune system ticking over, such as:
- Eat right.
- Stay active.
- Get enough sleep – it’s your body’s way of recharging.
- Keep up with your vaccinations – ignore those who tell that they’re bad for you.
- Use a condom – that’s just common sense.
2. Give your Libido a tone up.
It seems that practice does make perfect. If you want a more lively sex life then keep at it.
Having sex will make sex better and will improve your libido
says Lauren Streicher, MD. She is an assistant clinical professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.
For women, having sex ups vaginal lubrication, blood flow, and elasticity, she says, all of which make sex feel better and makes you want more of it – good news all around.
A strong pelvic floor is important for avoiding incontinence, which will affect about 30% of women at some point in their lives.
Good sex is like a gym session for your pelvic floor muscles. When you have an orgasm, it causes contractions in those muscles, which strengthens them.
Research suggests a link between sex and lower blood pressure, says Joseph J. Pinzone, MD, CEO and medical director of Amai Wellness.
There have been many studies
he says.
One landmark study found that sexual intercourse specifically (not masturbation) lowered systolic blood pressure.
That’s the first number on your blood pressure test.
5. Doing it right is great Exercise
Sex is a really great form of exercise
Pinzone says. It won’t replace a great gym session, but it’s still awesome – and you don’t have to put up with waiting for the treadmill.
Sex uses about five calories per minute, four more calories than watching TV (although The Walking Dead can get you a bit of an adrenaline rush). Sex gives you a one-two punch: It bumps up your heart rate and uses various muscle groups.
You may even want to clear your schedule to make time for sex on a regular basis, or at least get in the right frame of mind.
Like with exercise, consistency helps maximize the benefits
Pinzone says.
A good sex life is good for your heart. Besides being a great way to raise your heart rate, sex helps keep your oestrogen and testosterone levels in balance.
When either one of those is low you begin to get lots of problems, like osteoporosis and even heart disease
Pinzone says.
Feel free to have sex as often as you like. Having sex more often may help. During one study, men who had sex at least twice a week were half as likely to die of heart disease as men who had sex rarely. So you can truthfully say to your significant other that it’s good for both of you.
7. Pain Control.
Before you reach for an over the counter medication, try for an orgasm.
Orgasm(s) can block pain
says Barry R. Komisaruk, PhD, a well-respected professor at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. It releases a hormone that helps raise your pain threshold.
Stimulation without orgasm can also do the trick.
We’ve found that vaginal stimulation can block chronic back and leg pain, and many women have told us that genital self-stimulation can reduce menstrual cramps, arthritic pain, and in some cases even headache
Komisaruk says. Another good reason to have sex – ladies, the headache is now firmly not on the cards as an excuse. You may not feel up to it, but a headache is an excuse to have sex, not to avoid it.
8. May Make Prostate Cancer Less Likely
Getting down may help ward off prostate cancer.
Men who ejaculated frequently (at least 21 times a month) were less likely to get prostate cancer during one study, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
You don’t need a partner to reap this benefit: Sexual intercourse, nocturnal emission, and masturbation were all part of the equation – it’s great for guys to have options.
It’s not clear that sex was the only reason that mattered in that study. Lots of factors affect cancer risk. But more sex won’t hurt – and if it does you’re going it wrong (or right – whatever floats your boat as they say in the classics).
9. Catch some more Zzz’s.
You may nod off more quickly after sex, and for good reason.
After orgasm, the hormone prolactin is released, which is responsible for the feelings of relaxation and sleepiness after sex
says Sheenie Ambardar, MD. She is a psychiatrist in West Hollywood, Calif.
Being close to your partner can soothe stress and anxiety. Something we all need in this increasingly frenetic world.
Ambardar says touching and hugging can release your body’s natural “feel-good hormone.” Sexual arousal releases a brain chemical that revs up your brain’s pleasure and reward system. So sex makes you smile – great news (although not unexpected).
Sex and intimacy can boost your self-esteem and happiness, too, Ambardar says. It’s not only a prescription for a healthy life, but a happy one for everyone involved (even if it’s just you).
The last word goes to author Chloe Thurlow.
YES is the answer to the question is: Is it a good idea to have sex every day?
― Chloe Thurlow, The Fifty Shades of Grey Phenomena