Lifestyle

10 Reasons You Should Be Having Sex More Often

By Joseph Lubandi

Posted on June 2, 2015

Share this post:

So we all know that we like sex. That it can be fun and adventurous, make us feel more closely connected to our partner, bring out a wild side we didn’t know existed and so on, but get this: It’s physically healthy for you.

A healthy sex life, defined loosely as “doing it” a couple of times or more per week (willingly and in good form, of course) has all sorts of interesting health benefits. So if you’ve been putting sex on the bottom of your to-do list, you may want to reconsider, if for no other than reason than it could save your life.

Here are the top 10 health benefits of sex;

Sex boosts immunity: We all have that friend or colleague who never gets sick — not even a sniffle. Her secret could be sex. Having sex once or twice a week has been linked with higher levels of an antibody called immunoglobin A or, for short, IgA; that’s the stuff that fights off colds and other infections. Deduction: Sex = better immune system. Of course, you could eat an apple a day instead… your choice.

Stressed out? You could try yoga, a glass of wine, a cry fest on your shrink’s couch or — yes, a romp in the sack. That’s right: Sex is a proven stress reliever. Although your blood pressure may shoot for the roof while in the act, maintaining a healthy sex life results in overall lower blood pressure and stress reduction.

Sex increases heart health: Although having a heart attack while in the act may make for great melodramatic film, the likelihood is slim to none. Sex is actually heart healthy. For men in particular, those who engage in sexual activity two or more times per week reduce their risk of heart attack compared to those who have sex less than once per month — not that you had to ever convince a guy to do it.

Sex promotes happy sleep cycles: Ever wonder why your man nods off after you’ve just rocked his world?! It’s because of a little chemical called oxytocin that’s released during orgasm. While it’s annoying that he drifts off into dreamland when you may be ready for a round two, your own sleep cycle will be blissful, too, because this chemical promotes healthier sleep. In turn, good sleep is associated with weight and blood pressure maintenance.

Sex is a natural pain killer: Oxytocin also increases endorphins and decreases pain, particularly that of headaches — which means that your old backpocket headache excuse isn’t going to cut it anymore. Further, a romp in the sack also accelerates the healing of wounds — even stubborn sores such as those suffered by diabetics — by regenerating certain cells, so consider sex an excellent prescriptive cure.

Sex can help you shed pounds: Say you have a few pounds to lose but can’t bear the thought of abandoning your love affair with nachos. Sex may be an option! While it may not produce the same kind of weight loss or muscle toning as traditional cardio, you will burn 170 calories per hour — about a pound after 21 hour-long sessions.

Sex strengthens your bond: Oxytocin is also known as the “love hormone” because it helps us build trust and bond with one other, so naturally, the more sex a couple has, the more intimacy is built. It also has been linked with a feeling of generosity, so you can thank oxytocin for that bouquet of flowers or breakfast in bed you recently got.

Sex makes you feel hot: A core component of great sex is good self-esteem. And when your self-esteem is healthy and you have sex, your self image is boosted even higher. By allowing yourself to be uniquely and beautifully you, and appreciated for that, you wind up feeling wonderful and confident from the inside out.

Sex lowers cancer risk: Ladies, and gents, you love your guys, so love their prostates, too, by letting them get off more often. Studies show that men in their 20s who ejaculate five or more times a week reduce their risk of getting prostate cancer by a third, whereas older men reporting 21 or more ejaculations per month lowered theirs. And for us gals, more sex has been shown to decrease risk of breast cancer.

Sex makes your skin glow: Forget your morning swipe of blush and overly expensive face serums. With increased blood circulation and oxygenation of the blood, a post-coital glow means a temporary brighter complexion. But there are longer-lasting beauty benefits of sex, too. An orgasm triggers a rush of endorphins and growth hormones, like DHEA, that help heal damage caused by the sun, smoking, and cortisol buildup, which is associated with the thinning of the skin.

[sheknows]