Besides improving your mood and your relationship, it turns out that sex also has several health benefits! We list them for you.
A great workout
Unsurprisingly, your heart rate goes way up when you get under the covers with your lover. During sex, you burn about five calories per minute, and you put different muscles in your body to work. Super healthy!
Your immune system gets a boost
Studies show that people who have sex once or twice a week have higher levels of specific antibodies. But that’s not all: sex also turns out to be a good virus fighter. A 2021 study showed that sex could reduce the risk of Covid in people who had sex more than three times a month.
Another study from Wilkes University found that people who had sex at least three times a week had more of the antibody immunoglobulin A in their saliva. This antibody helps your body better defend against viruses and bacteria.
Orgasms work to relieve pain
Headaches as an excuse won’t work from now on, because orgasm turns out to be an excellent medicine for pain. “When you have an orgasm, your body produces endorphins; hormones that block pain signals to the brain, providing effective relief,” Dr. Alexis Missick explains to Glamour UK. Thus, it appears that sexual activity can relieve symptoms of migraines and cluster headaches.
Controls your blood pressure
Although your heart rate goes up considerably during sex, the effect on your blood pressure can actually be positive. Studies have shown that sex can lower your systolic blood pressure. So, a real win-win!
Sex is good for your vaginal health
This health benefit may sound confusing, but sex is actually good for your vaginal health! Although sex can sometimes cause irritation, it also offers great benefits. “Sex can cause a number of vaginal problems, such as bacterial vaginosis or urinary tract infections, but ultimately, sex is good for your vaginal health,” says Dr. Alexis. “For example, your vagina is self-cleaning and has several self-regulating functions that are supported by good blood circulation and healthy tissues – for which you can thank sex or masturbation!”
Effective stress reliever
In addition to all those physical benefits, sex is also good for your mental health. An orgasm involves as many as 30 active parts of your brain. These parts release the “feel good” hormones oxytocin and dopamine, which help you reduce stress and anxiety. They also boost your self-confidence and make you happy. Last but not least, these hormones increase the intimate bond with your partner.
Training your pelvic floor
“Sex actually acts as a pelvic floor exercise in itself because orgasm causes the muscles to contract. This strengthening exercise is important to prevent urinary incontinence, which affects about 30% of women at some point in their lives,” says Dr. Alexis.
Good for your heart
Did we mention that your heart rate goes up significantly during sex? This gives your heart health a big boost. Research has shown that people who have sex at least twice a week are about 50 percent less likely to die of fatal heart disease.
Sex increases your libido
Sex is like a muscle you exercise: the more sex you have, the more you want sex. “Having sex regularly will not only increase your libido, but it will also improve sex itself,” Alexis said. Good to know!