Health Benefits of Sex: 10 More Reasons to Get It On
Sex is awesome — but you aren’t having it as often as you’d like.
Your body craves sex, and you think it’s good for you, but you don’t know why.
If you are looking for reasons to convince your partner to have sex more often, here are some of the top benefits of sex for health.
Table of Contents
- Is Sex Good for Your Health?
- 10 Health Benefits of Having Sex
- How Often Should You Have Sex to Experience Health Benefits?
- Enjoy Sex and Its Health Benefits With Chiavaye
Is Sex Good for Your Health?
Studies have shown that sexual intimacy with a partner can improve your emotional and physical health.
For example, intimate physical contact releases oxytocin, a natural chemical also known as the “love hormone.” Oxytocin has been shown to:
- Improve moods
- Reduce stress levels; and
- Promote healing
Our bodies are also flooded with the neurotransmitter dopamine during sex. Dopamine plays a big role in how our bodies feel pleasure.
10 Health Benefits of Having Sex
Television personality and medical professional Dr. Oz has proclaimed that his advice for couples in quarantine was to have sex.
Why did he make this recommendation?
Because physical intimacy with a partner can help:
- Boost your immune system
- Strengthen your relationship; and
- Relieve tension
We think not enough has been said about the many health benefits of sex for women, so we’d like to explore those here.
#1: Sex Can Help Boost Your Immune System
Sex allows the body to create antibodies to fight against bacteria and viruses.
A study published in Psychological Reports found that people who had sex once or twice per week had a 30 percent increase in the antibody immunoglobulin A compared to those who had sex less often.
This research suggests that frequent physical intimacy may help boost the immune system.
Sexual health expert Yvonne K. Fulbright, Ph.D. has reported that sexually active people take fewer sick days.
Dr. Fulbright found physical intimacy is one of the best ways to improve your immune system.
So if you're trying to stay healthy right now, being intimate with your partner could be a good way to do that.
#2: Sex Can Help Increase Your Sex Drive
When you have sex with a partner, your body and brain release “feel-good hormones” that encourage you to have even more physical intimacy.
It's kind of a fun cycle to experience because sex boosts your libido.
Your body keeps telling you to have sex again.
So if you're looking for ways to increase your physical intimacy, it may sound ironic, but have more sex.
#3: Sex Can Help Boost Bladder Control for Women
During sex, we're constantly releasing and contracting those vaginal muscles — a very similar movement to doing Kegel exercises.
So the more you have sex, the more muscle control you have — which is important for women as we age due to:
- Having babies
- Experiencing menopause; and
- Incontinence
Keeping those muscles strengthened can help combat issues with vaginal health as you get older.
#4: Sex Can Help Lower Your Blood Pressure
Having sex not only gets your heart pumping, but it can also help lower your blood pressure.
The physical activity involved in sex helps …
- Keep your heart rate up
- Improve cardiovascular health overall; and
- Relieve stress and tension
... which can also lead to better blood pressure control.
A 2016 study found that older women who were satisfied with their sex lives were more likely to have lower blood pressure levels than those who were not.
That's great news.
We all need to make sure we're keeping our blood pressure under control, especially as we age.
#5: Sex Can Count as Exercise
If you’re finding it difficult to get your cardio in every day, we have great news for you — sex counts as exercise!
Okay, so maybe it won’t burn as many calories as 30 minutes on the elliptical machine. But it raises your heart rate and uses a variety of muscles you might not normally engage.
You can expect to burn about five calories per minute while having sex. That may not sound like a lot, but it’s way more energy than you’ll expend sitting around on the couch.
And it’s fun, too!
#6: Sex Can Be Great for Heart Health
Regular physical intimacy is linked with lower rates of:
- Heart disease
- Stroke; and
- Death from cardiac-related causes
Having sex can even help reduce stress levels, which have been shown to increase the risk of heart disease.
So not only is sex good for your heart physically, but it can also be good for your heart emotionally.
#7: Sex Can Help Block Pain Receptors
Research has shown that sex with a partner can block our pain receptors.
When you are:
- Feeling pleasure
- Having an orgasm; or
- Reaching climax
... the way the body usually feels pain is dulled.
Some studies have shown that physical intimacy has blocked:
- Back pain
- Leg pain
- Cramps; and
- Headaches
So if you're in pain, try to have sex with a partner and see if it helps.
Be careful, though. You don't want anybody getting hurt.
It’s usually easier to enjoy the benefits of sex with the help of Chiavaye — an all-natural, healthy personal moisturizer and lube.
#8: Sex May Reduce the Risk of Prostate Cancer in Men
The Journal of the American Medical Association published a study that found regular ejaculation for men may make prostate cancer less likely.
These benefits occur when a man ejaculates 21 times a month, either through masturbation or intercourse.
#9: Sex Can Help Improve Sleep
It's not a big surprise that sex can improve your sleep. We’ve all experienced that feeling of drowsiness that occurs right after a big orgasm.
Why does this happen?
We talked earlier about the fact that sex releases oxytocin. In addition to its other benefits, oxytocin can help you feel relaxed and sleepy.
So if you are feeling wired and restless, see if your partner wants to be intimate — it will be fun for both of you and help you get some sleep.
#10: Sex Can Help Ease Stress and Tension
When two bodies collide in passion, the result is often a release of built-up stress and tension.
Again, this is where our good friend oxytocin comes in.
Oxytocin can reduce stress and promote relaxation:
- During orgasm
- During physical intimacy; and
- During sexual intercourse with a partner
Interestingly enough, some studies have even shown that people who are physically intimate with their partners are less likely to develop depression or anxiety.
Sex and intimacy can be some of the best ways to improve your mental health.
When you feel close to someone, it's easier to cope with stress and negative emotions than when you're feeling distant or alone.
So if you're looking for a way to improve your overall health and happiness, consider investing in some quality time with your partner.
How Often Should You Have Sex to Experience Health Benefits?
There is no magic number for how often you should have sex with your partner, according to Mary Andres, a professor at the University of Southern California.
Instead, physically intimate partners should consider various factors when making that decision, such as:
- Physical health
- Mutual interest; and
- Compatibility
However, if you want to reap all the health benefits of regular sex, it may be helpful if physical intimacy is part of your relationship at least once per week.
Whether you feel like physically connecting with your partner every day is up to you. But making time for intimacy every week can have a positive impact on your overall health.
Enjoy Sex and Its Health Benefits With Chiavaye
If you're looking for a great way to get back in the mood and enjoy sex and its health benefits, then you should try Chiavaye.
Chiavaye is a personal lubricant that:
- Is 100% vegan
- Is all natural; and
- Helps promote vaginal health
It also makes a great choice for people who are sensitive to certain ingredients found in other lubes.
How can Chiavaye help you enjoy sex and its health benefits?
Chiavaye restores the natural lubrication of the vagina and is perfect for use before and after sex.
It also helps couples feel more connected while enjoying their time together.
Click below to learn more about Chiavaye's all-natural lubricant today.