By Dr. Mercola
Many people associate a healthful lifestyle with habits
that are not always the most fun… like grueling workouts
or skipping dessert. But this is a misconception, as
many of the healthiest habits are also among the most
rewarding.
Take sex. It counts as moderately intense exercise plus
it boosts numerous aspects of both physical and mental
health. As long as you're engaging in safe-sex
practices, increasing your sexual activity is a surefire
strategy to better health!
The Top 11 Health Benefits of Sex
Regular sex cannot be underestimated as a factor for
reducing stress, bolstering self-esteem and fostering
feelings of intimacy and bonding between partners.
But the real point of this article is the fact that a healthy
sex life can provide for a longer, healthier and, most
would agree, more enjoyable life. Among the many
health benefits of sex are:
1. Improved Immunity
People who have sex frequently (one or two times a
week) have significantly higher levels of immunoglobulin
A (IgA). Your IgA immune system is your body's first
line of defense.
Its job is to fight off invading organisms at their entry
points, reducing or even eliminating the need for
activation of your body's immune system. This may
explain why people who have sex frequently also take
fewer sick days.
2. Heart Health
Men who made love regularly (at least twice a week)
were 45 percent less likely to develop heart disease than
those who did so once a month or less, according to
one study.
Sexual activity not only provides many of the same
benefits to your heart as exercise but also keeps levels
of estrogen and testosterone in balance, which is
important for heart health.
3. Lower Blood Pressure
Sexual activity, and specifically intercourse, is linked to
better stress response and lower blood pressure.
4. It's a Form of Exercise
Sex helps to boost your heart rate, burn calories and
strengthen muscles, just like exercise. In fact, research
recently revealed that sex burns about 4 calories a
minute for men and 3 for women, making it (at times) a
'significant' form of exercise. It can even help you to
maintain your flexibility and balance.
5. Pain Relief
Sexual activity releases pain-reducing hormones and
has been found to help reduce or block back and leg
pain, as well as pain from menstrual cramps, arthritis
and headaches. One study even found that sexual
activity can lead to partial or complete relief of headache
in some migraine and cluster-headache patients.
6. May Help Reduce Risk of Prostate Cancer
Research has shown that men who ejaculate at least 21
times a month (during sex or masturbation) have a lower
risk of prostate cancer. This link needs to be explored
further, however, as there may have been additional
factors involved in the association.
7. Improve Sleep
After sex, the relaxation-inducing hormone prolactin is
released, which may help you to nod off more quickly.
The "love hormone" oxytocin, released during orgasm,
also promotes sleep.
8. Stress Relief
Sex triggers your body to release its natural feel-good
chemicals, helping to ease stress and boost pleasure,
calm and self-esteem. Research also shows that those
who have sexual intercourse responded better when
subjected to stressful situations like speaking in
public.
9. Boost Your Libido
The more often you have sex, the more likely you are to
want to keep doing it. There's a mental connection there
but also a physical one, particularly for women. More
frequent sex helps to increase vaginal lubrication, blood
flow and elasticity, which in turn make sexual activity
more enjoyable.
10. Improved Bladder Control in Women
Intercourse helps to strengthen your pelvic floor
muscles, which contract during orgasm. This can help
women to improve their bladder control and avoid
incontinence. You can boost this benefit even more by
practicing Kegel exercises during sex (a Kegel squeeze
is performed by drawing your lower pelvic muscles up
and holding them up high and tight, as if you're trying
to stop a flow of urine).
11. Increase Intimacy and Improve Your Relationship
Sex and orgasms result in increased levels of the
hormone oxytocin -- the "love" hormone -- that helps
you feel bonded to your partner, and better experience
empathic connections.
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