Advice on having sex to be healthier usually falls somewhere between recommendations to eat more vegetables and calls to regularly go to the gym. Sexual activity is considered part of a healthy lifestyle. Moreover, people often receive the diagnosis of "frigid" as a synonym for failure, aggression, and hysteria. All this contributes to the notion that a healthy and successful person is impossible without sex.
Problems that sex does not solve
Skin problems
Acne appears from an excess of skin oil, which, in turn, is caused by elevated levels of androgen hormones. Therefore, to get rid of pimples in adulthood, one would rather need a good endocrinologist than sex.
According to some, sperm occupies a special place in the arsenal of healing agents for the skin. It is often described as a universal rejuvenating and strengthening agent that is suggested to be smeared on the face, body, or used in nutrient masks. It is symptomatic that the recommendations are mainly aimed at women. In reality, sperm is more likely to cause allergic dermatitis than provide a healing effect.
Figure problems
The popular opinion that sex is a great workout is not without its basis. Many sexual practices involve movement and certain loads. However, the frequency and intensity of such "workouts" must be sky-high to produce a noticeable effect.
For example, a man loses on average Energy Expenditure during Sexual Activity in Young Healthy Couples 4 kcal in a minute of sex, while running for a minute burns 9 kcal. For women, these figures are 3 kcal and 8 kcal, respectively. Sex does not harm the figure, but it does not make sense to expect that it will help to tone the buttocks or achieve defined abs.
Stress
Sex can be helpful as prevention. But it's a different matter when a person is already under stress. The idea of relieving this state with sex is good in theory. In practice, such a combination is either impossible or does not lead to satisfaction.
As noted by sex education expert Emily Nagoski in her book Come As You Are, 80-90% of people lose interest in sex during stressful moments. However, there is a small percentage of people who experience desire in this state. Strong and prolonged stress can actually stimulate this desire, leading to its increase. It seems like a great situation, but there is a problem.
Stress and sex combined definitely do not bring any pleasure.
Satisfaction and relief after such sex do not occur.
The threat of certain diseases
The list of problems that folk wisdom promises to a man neglecting sex includes erectile problems and sperm quality, prostatitis. Threats for women who have no sex in their lives include stagnant phenomena in the pelvic area, irregular periods, and the risk of developing masculine traits.
Journalists Darya Varlamova and Elena Foer in their book analyze and convincingly refute these myths. They note that, for the most part, these are "scare stories" that contradict medical and scientific data.
Why forced sex is bad
No pleasure
When the attraction mechanism does not work, there is little left of sex. A lack of lubrication can be corrected with a lubricant, but the emotional background is just as important for satisfaction. Sex without a sense of closeness and immersion in the process is hardly ever called good 8 Vital Keys to a Truly Great Sex Life .
Exhaustion increases
Everyone can have a period of psychological and physical overload. During such times, one often does not want sex. Trying to engage in it despite one’s state is likely to lead to even greater fatigue. However, the good news is that the absence of sex is safe Long-Term Health Correlates of Timing of Sexual Debut: Results From a National US Study for health, so there's no need to force oneself.
Unnecessary risks arise
Sex on demand is not exempt from problems; protective measures will be needed in any case. But if one forces themselves, the sexual act turns into an unpleasant risky process, where the chances of contracting a sexually transmitted disease, HIV, or encountering an unplanned pregnancy are not negligible. In sex that does not bring pleasure, only risks remain.
Happiness decreases
Contrary to the persistent stereotype that a higher frequency of sex improves mood, there is no causal relationship. Moreover, scientists even conducted a study Does Increased Sexual Frequency Enhance Happiness? , questioning whether partners would be happier if they had sex twice as often. This task was set for the participants of the experiment, which lasted three months.
The result of the study was a decreased mood among the subjects. They began to feel that sex by force was hard work, unlike spontaneous sex. A similar but non-scientific experiment was conducted by BuzzFeed's editorial team. The conclusions of the participants were similar.
Why sex is not a panacea
Sex provides certain benefits 10 Surprising Health Benefits of Sex : it adds strength, boosts immunity, reduces the number of colds, but it is not a miraculous remedy that will solve all problems.
If you do not want to have sex due to stress, health issues, or simply because you have no desire, that is okay.
Moreover, there are a number of conditions and diseases for which temporary abstinence is a necessary condition for a quick recovery. And there are asexual people who do not need sex. Even the data on the influence of sex on the health of elderly people, which was previously considered exclusively positive, is contradictory Is Sex Good for Your Health? A National Study on Partnered Sexuality and Cardiovascular Risk Among Older Men and Women . So there is no point in forcing yourself to engage in it, trying to become more beautiful, successful and avoid diseases.
Read also
- 8 key rules for spontaneous sex →
- What to do if sex has disappeared from your relationship →
- 6 gender clichés that will ruin your sex life →
