You surely enjoy having sex, but you do not realize how beneficial it is. Yes, it's true: sex helps you maintain your health, and this is proven by science.
Sex is a Natural Painkiller
A study published in the Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine claims that orgasm lowers pain sensitivity by half due to the release of endorphins. Once in the bloodstream, they begin to act almost immediately, within a few minutes. This is much faster than most over-the-counter pain medications. So next time your partner turns down sex due to a headache, tell them this fact.
Sex Cures Diseases
According to data from a study conducted in Pennsylvania, people who have sex once or twice a week have an average of 30% higher levels of immunoglobulin A (IgA), which helps fight diseases, than those who are not as sexually active.
It is worth noting that this connection between immunity and sexual contact does not operate on the principle of "more means better". The same study found that people who have sex more than twice a week have lower levels of immunoglobulin A.
Sex Against Stress
Have you ever had trouble falling asleep, worrying about a big project or tomorrow's meeting? Instead of grinding these thoughts in your head, engage in relaxing sex.
As the results of a study published in Biological Psychology indicate, after sex, people are more resilient to stressful situations.
This is not surprising: good sex is an enjoyable pastime, so it naturally reduces stress levels. More interestingly, even simple touches have an anti-stress effect.
In another experiment described in Behavioural Medicine, researchers observed how couples simply held hands for 10 minutes or hugged for 20 seconds. After touching and hugging, people exhibited healthier reactions to subsequent stress, like public speaking, than those who experienced stress without prior hugs.
Hugs also help lower heart rate and blood pressure. So, if your partner does not want sex, agree to strong embraces.
Sex is Good for the Heart
People who have sex at least twice a week reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease by half. This is what the results of a study published in 2010 by scientists from Massachusetts, which involved over a thousand men, claim.
The study showed that sex has a very large protective effect. Scientists even recommended that doctors consider a man's sexual activity when assessing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. They believe that the benefits of sex are related to a double positive effect—both physically and emotionally.
Sex Positively Affects the Brain
Yes, this has only been tested on rats, but this scientific research claims that sex can improve brain function.
A study conducted in 2010 found that regularly mating rats have a higher level of proliferation of cells in the hippocampus—a part of the brain responsible for memory. These rats also exhibited faster growth of brain cells and the number of connections between them.
Sex Helps You Look Younger
In 2013, Dr. David Weeks, head of the Department of Ageing Psychology at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, told the British Psychological Society that sex has several benefits that help both men and women appear five to seven years younger. This partly happens due to its comprehensive positive influence on health (and healthy people look younger). Moreover, during sex, hormones are produced that make the skin more elastic.
A study conducted by scientists from the University of Edinburgh showed that couples who have sex at least four times a week look younger than their less temperamental peers by a whole 10 years. During sex, hormones like adrenaline, dopamine, and norepinephrine are released, which help preserve skin cells and relax muscles, preventing the appearance of wrinkles.
The elixir of youth is closer than you might have imagined!
Good Sex Helps You Live Longer
In 1997, a group of researchers from Wales decided to find out if there is a connection between orgasm and mortality. They studied the sexual activity of 918 men aged 45 to 59 years and assessed the number of people who died from cardiovascular diseases.
The scientists found that those who experienced two or more orgasms a week were half as likely to die from heart disease than those who had orgasms less than once a month.
“Sexual activity protects health,” says the author of the study, Dr. George Davey Smith.
So, sex protects health, supports the cardiovascular system, positively affects the brain, mood, and even helps you look younger.
