The Health Benefits of S*x is not know to many people. S*xual activity can improve your physical and mental well-being and it’s a form of exercise too.
Research has shown that s*x has many physical and psychological health benefits. You can feel these effects through S*x with a partner or masturbation. Even simple, intimate behaviors such as holding hands or hugging can improve your mental well-being. Read on for more benefits of S*xual activity, orgasms, and intimacy.
Check out some health benefits of S*x below
- S*x Can Reduce Stress and Anxiety
S*xual activity can have “positive and healthy” effects on psychological well-being by reducing symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression, per an October 2020 study published in the Journal of S*xual Medicine. The study found s*x had a protective effect against quarantine-related anxiety and mood disorders during COVID-19.
Intimate behaviors—including holding hands, hugging, and kissing—can also reduce cortisol levels (the stress hormone), per a January 2019 study of couples published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.
Both orgasms with a partner and during masturbation were associated with perceptions of better sleep in a March 2019 study of 778 participants published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health. The paper suggested s*xual activity may help you sleep.
Other research has found an association between poor sleep (specifically insomnia severity) and s*xual function. However, a study published in September 2018 in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research couldn’t determine if sleep disturbance led to s*xual function problems or if it was the other way around.
- S*x Is a Form of Exercise
S*xual intercourse can be a moderate-intensity physical activity, on par with jogging or relaxed swimming, per a February 2022 review published in the journal Archives of S*xual Behaviour. Average heart rates during intercourse ranged from about 90–130 beats per minute (bpm) and reached nearly 170 bpm.
These numbers may vary depending on s*xual position, health status, lubrication, and s*x. But the conclusion of the review: “S*xual intercourse may be a significant contributor to physical health, and it can be considered as a form of physical activity.”
You may have heard that s*x can impact your workout the next day—athletes sometimes abstain ahead of major competitions. But a January 2019 study published in the journal S*xual Medicine found no significant differences in physical exercise performance between people who had intercourse the night before and those who didn’t.
- S*x Can Increase Intimacy and Bonding
Research has shown that s*x can lead to increased love, trust, and intimacy in relationships, per a November 2020 review published in the journal S*xual Medicine Reviews. People can also get better at identifying and expressing their emotions.
Orgasms release oxytocin, a hormone that promotes social bonding, per a September 2017 review published in the journal Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences. You can feel closer to your partner when you have a great experience with them.
- S*xual Activity May Protect Cognition
Research has shown that S*xual activity in older adults was associated with better performance on some cognitive tests. Thus the Health Benefits of S*x is enjoyed by all irrespective of age.
A January 2016 study published in the journal Age and Ageing found that people between the ages of 50–89 who engaged in S*xual activity did better on tests of memory and executive function (skills such as decision-making, flexible thinking, and self-control). The authors hypothesized this might be due to the release of dopamine during intercourse—a hormone shown to improve thinking processes.
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Now you know the Health Benefits of S*x.
Another paper, published in June 2017 in the Journals of Gerontology: Series B, repeated the 2016 study with people aged 50–83. It also found an association between S*xual activity and higher cognitive functioning test scores.