Although you can obviously survive without it, making love can actually have some health benefits.
"Sex brings about a series of positive changes in both the body and the mind," says Wendy Walsh, a clinical psychologist, author, and professor of psychology at California State University.
Making love can cause the release of powerful brain chemicals and help balance sex hormones. It also increases blood flow throughout your body, which benefits different parts of your body, from your heart to your brain.
Then there are the mental and emotional benefits. While they may not be as obvious, they have a powerful effect on your overall health and well-being, says Walsh. Sex can help you feel happier, calmer and more connected to your partner.
Simply spending time with your partner and being physically touched releases oxytocin, a hormone associated with empathy, trust and relationship building. This in turn helps you feel more relaxed and connected.
Plus, orgasm releases a rush of endorphins, the brain chemicals responsible for many of the health benefits of making love, says Laura Deitsch, a licensed clinical counselor and sexologist in Las Vegas. But that doesn't mean that sex has to end in orgasm every time. It's important, however, to at least try to both fully enjoy the intimacy, says Deitsch.
1. It's good for the brain
Having a difficult and challenging day at work? Fun in bed can help clear your mind.
Sex is associated with better cognitive function, according to a study published in the Journal of Gerontology in 2019. The survey involved 73 adults aged 50 to 83. Both men and women who reported having sex at least once a week scored higher on the overall test, showing the greatest gains in verbal fluency and memory, compared to people who had sex less often or never.
2. Less stress
Chronic stress has been linked to health problems, including almost everything from heart attacks to migraines. So anything that reduces stress can benefit your overall health and well-being, says Deitsch. Pleasant activities, including lovemaking, can reduce your perception of stress and promote feelings of calmness and relaxation, according to research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
3. Fewer problems with insomnia
Sex can be a way to relax before bed, says Walsh. There's a reason so many people go to sleep right after sex, she adds. However, this may be easier said than done, especially if you've had a busy day.
4. You will feel less pain
Making love releases endorphins, and one of the best-known benefits of endorphins is their ability to act as an analgesic, reducing the perception of pain, both physical and emotional, says Deitsch. They have morphine-like effects, according to a study published in the Hawaii Medical Journal on beta-endorphins, a hormone produced by the pituitary gland that blocks the sensation of pain. Researchers have studied the role that endorphins may play in reducing pain after surgery. But the effects seem to apply to physical pain in general.
5. Live a longer, happier life
Oxytocin, the love hormone, is a powerful brain chemical released during sex. It is also released when you hug, kiss or caress. This can help create a strong bond with your partner, says Walsh.
Oxytocin itself provides health benefits. But people who feel connected to their partner experience better overall health and live longer, according to a study published in Psychological Science in 2019. Researchers followed more than 4.000 couples, most of them heterosexual, aged 50 and older, for eight year. They found that those in a happy relationship had a 13 percent lower risk of death independent of their wealth, demographic differences and basic health.
6. Lower risk of cardiovascular diseases
Intense love making can increase the risk of heart attack in the short term, especially in people who are already at risk of heart disease. But a healthy sex life can potentially reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Part of the credit lies in the release of oxytocin, which is anti-inflammatory and protective, while also helping improve the cardiovascular system and metabolism, according to a study published in the Brazilian journal Biological and Medical Research in 2014.
7. Better mental health
Sex floods your brain with serotonin, a neurotransmitter known to affect mood, according to a PNAS study.
"An orgasm is a powerful and immediate way to improve your mood," says Deitsch.
8. Better immunity
A study of 112 college students, published in Psychological Reports, found that both sexes showed stronger immune responses when they had sex at least once or twice a week. The researchers collected saliva samples and found that those who had frequent sex had higher levels of immunoglobulin A, a type of antibody used as the immune system's first line of defense. The Healthy.
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