20 ways sex is good for your health…From curing pain to banishing wrinkles
LAUGHTER is said to be the best medicine but sex is even better – and a lot more fun.
Today is National Orgasm Day and, as if you needed any more encouragement, here's 20 reasons you should get frisky between the sheets tonight.
There are many benefits to a passionate romp, scientists have even found it gives us a feelgood “afterglow” that lasts for up to 48 hours, even after a quickie.
But that’s not the only benefit of slipping between the sheets.
Other studies show that bonking can banish the blues, boost our immune system and strengthen our bones. Sex can even reduce wrinkles, cure insomnia and burn calories.
Best of all, it’s a natural painkiller, so if your partner has a headache getting randy could be the remedy.
Here, sexpert Kate Taylor tells us why passion is the perfect prescription for just about everything.
1. Afterglow
The “afterglow” we get after sex lasts for two days and fades after three, according to scientists at Florida State University.
So it’s best to make love at least every three days to keep the smile on your face.
The timing is a natural thing.
The research team found that a man’s sperm count takes three days to recover and two days is the maximum time swimmers survive inside the woman’s reproductive system.
2. Cures pain
Got a headache coming on? A quickie could be far more effective relief than paracetamol.
Being intimate causes a surge in the hormone oxytocin, which eases the pain.
And an orgasm will block it out altogether, according to Professor Barry R Komisaruk, who studies brain activity during sex.
Climaxing also raises our pain threshold.
3. Reduce wrinkles
As well as putting a sparkle in your eyes, sex really does make your skin glow.
During a session between the sheets the female body pumps out more oestrogen, which has a plumping effect on the skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
4. Burns calories
Sex burns up to five calories a minute.
A sex workout calculator, created by online service Dr Felix, reckons 30 minutes is the equivalent of a 15-minute run.
If you want to tone up don’t go for quickies but aim for longer sessions such as Tantric Sex.
And for even more of a workout, try positions that exercise major muscle groups, like your legs.
The wheelbarrow is a fantastic way to trim your thighs.
5. Magnetism
Ever noticed how when you get one partner everyone else suddenly fancies you?
You have become a sex magnet because intimate activity in the bedroom makes your body release more pheromones – chemicals which enhance your sex appeal.
6. Healthy gut
Smooching is good for our stomachs.
One ten second kiss can transfer more than 80million bacteria, mouth-to-mouth.
And that’s fantastic news for our wellbeing because a more varied microbiota means a healthier gut.
7. Improve immunity
Insted of popping a pill to ward off germs, pop upstairs instead.
US researchers at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania found that students who had sex twice a week had higher levels of certain antibodies than those who got less bedroom action.
8. Cures insomnia
If you have trouble nodding off a little nookie can help.
Psychiatrist Sheenie Ambardar said: “After orgasm, the hormone prolactin is released, which is responsible for the feelings of relaxation.”
9. Motivator
The powerful happy chemical dopamine is released when you are sexually aroused.
This can boost your sense of motivation because it targets your brain’s natural reward system.
So if you need a kickstart in the morning, sneaking in a session before work could be better than a coffee.
10. Stress shrinker
Tense about that upcoming presentation? As a stress-buster you can’t beat a little sexual healing beforehand.
A study in Biological Psychology found that people who abstained had higher stress levels before a taxing event than those who had had sex.
11. Anti-ageing
Getting passionate may be far more productive at holding back the years than splashing out on expensive anti-ageing lotions and potions.
Research by Dr David Weeks, clinical neuropsychologist at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, found that older men and women who enjoyed an active love-life looked five to seven years younger than their actual age.
12. Boosts fertility
OK, so we all know sex makes babies, but having lots of it brings baby-boosting benefits for both men and women.
For women, regular nookie has been shown to balance hormones and regulate periods, which can increase chances of conceiving.
For men, two days without sex will give the best sperm sample, whereas long periods of abstinence can result in a lower sperm count.
13. Protects prostate
Sex can help blokes fend off prostate cancer, which affects one in eight men in the UK.
A study in the Journal of American Medical Association found that men who ejaculated at least 21 times a month were less likely to get it.
14. Pelvic power
Having fun in the sack can be a great workout for a woman’s pelvic floor muscles, which control orgasms and also reduce leakage as we age.
Practise squeezing and releasing your pelvic floor muscles during sex to strengthen them.
15. Longer lifespan
What better reason to up the ante in the bedroom than the prospect of living longer?
Studies show men who climax regularly have a 50 per cent lower mortality risk than those who orgasm less frequently.
16. Healthy heart
Regular romping has a protective effect on the heart for both men and women.
According to one study, women who had two orgasms a week were 30 per cent less likely to succumb to heart disease than those who did not have sex.
And a study at Queen’s University in Belfast found that sex three times a week could halve the risk of heart attack or stroke in men.
17. Relaxes muscles
If you suffer from an ache in your shoulder or a pain in the neck, then sex can help to relax your muscles and alleviate tension.
According to Dr Arun Ghosh, who specialises in sexual health, sex can even relax the muscles in our eyes.
It’s practically a trip to the spa.
18. Strengthen bones
Oestrogen is released in both men and women during sex – it helps regulate moods and also aids bone health.
A lack of it is linked to osteoporosis in women past the menopause.
19. Banish the blues
The happy hormone serotonin acts as a natural anti-depressant.
Our bodies produce it during any rigorous exercise which raises the heart rate – including sex.
So rather than dragging yourself out of bed to hit the gym, why not stay put for a sexy workout?
MORE ON SEX
20. Happy relationship
A healthy sex life makes for a happy relationship.
Psychologist Dr Andrea Meltzer said: “People with a stronger sexual afterglow report higher levels of relationship satisfaction months on.”
The love hormone oxytocin, which our bodies release during sex, makes couples feel closer and can help them sort out petty squabbles.
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