Sex not only
feels good. It can also be good for you. Here’s what a healthy sex life can do
for you.
Helps Keep Your Immune System Humming
“Sexually
active people take fewer sick days,” says Yvonne K. Fulbright, PhD a sexual
health expert.
People who
have sex have higher levels of what defends your body against germs, viruses,
and other intruders. Researchers at Wilkes
University in Pennsylvania found
that college students who had sex once or twice a week had higher levels of the
a certain antibody compared to students who had sex less often.
You should
still do all the other things that make your immune system happy, such as: Eat
right, Stay active, Get enough sleep, Keep up with your vaccinations.
Use a condom
if you don’t know both of your STD statuses.
Boosts Your Libido
Longing for a
more lively sex life? “Having sex will make sex better and will improve your
libido,” says Lauren Streicher, MD. She is an assistant clinical professor of
obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of
Medicine in Chicago.
For women,
having sex ups vaginal lubrication, blood flow, and elasticity, she says, all
of which make sex feel better and help you crave more of it.
Improves Women’s Bladder Control
A strong
pelvic floor is important for avoiding incontinence, something that will affect
about 30% of women at some point in their lives.
Good sex is
like a workout for your pelvic floor muscles. When you have an orgasm, it
causes contractions in those muscles, which strengthens them.
Lowers Your Blood Pressure
Research
suggests a link between sex and lower blood pressure, says Joseph J. Pinzone,
MD. He is CEO and medical director of Amai Wellness.
“There have
been many studies,” he says. “One landmark study found that sexual intercourse
specifically (not masturbation) lowered systolic blood pressure.” That’s the
first number on your blood pressure test.
Counts as Exercise
“Sex is a
really great form of exercise,” Pinzone says. It won’t replace the treadmill,
but it counts for something.SURPRISING
Sex uses
about five calories per minute, four more calories than watching TV. It gives
you a one-two punch: It bumps up your heart rate and uses various muscles.
So get busy!
You may even want to clear your schedule to make time for it on a regular
basis. “Like with exercise, consistency
helps maximize the benefits,” Pinzone says.
Lowers Heart Attack Risk
A good sex
life is good for your heart. Besides being a great way to raise your heart
rate, sex helps keep your estrogen and testosterone levels in balance.
“When either
one of those is low you begin to get lots of problems, like osteoporosis and
even heart disease,” Pinzone says.
Having sex
more often may help. During one study, men who had sex at least twice a week
were half as likely to die of heart disease as men who had sex rarely.
Lessens Pain
Before you
reach for an aspirin, try for an orgasm.
“Orgasm can
block pain,” says Barry R. Komisaruk, PhD, a distinguished service professor at
Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. It releases a hormone that helps
raise your pain threshold.
Stimulation
without orgasm can also do the trick. “We’ve found that vaginal stimulation can
block chronic back and leg pain, and many women have told us that genital
self-stimulation can reduce menstrual cramps, arthritic pain, and in some cases
even headache,” Komisaruk says.
May Make Prostate Cancer Less Likely
Going for the
gusto may help ward off prostate cancer.
Men who
ejaculated frequently (at least 21 times a month) were less likely to get
prostate cancer during one study, which was published in the Journal of the
American Medical Association.
You don’t
need a partner to reap this benefit: Sexual intercourse, nocturnal emission,
and masturbation were all part of the equation.
It’s not
clear that sex was the only reason that mattered in that study. Lots of factors
affect cancer risk. But more sex won’t hurt.
Improves Sleep
You may nod
off more quickly after sex, and for good reason.
“After
orgasm, the hormone prolactin is released, which is responsible for the
feelings of relaxation and sleepiness” after sex, says Sheenie Ambardar, MD.
She is a psychiatrist in West Hollywood, Calif.
Eases Stress
Being close
to your partner can soothe stress and anxiety.
Ambardar says
touching and hugging can release your body’s natural “feel-good hormone.”
Sexual arousal releases a brain chemical that revs up your brain’s pleasure and
reward system.
Sex and
intimacy can boost your self-esteem and happiness, too, Ambardar says. It’s not
only a prescription for a healthy life, but a happy one.
By Kara Mayer
Robinson
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