You may think sexual health is linked to emotional wellbeing, but in actual fact just about every aspect of your health is improved by a passion session between the sheets. Let’s take a look at how making love can benefit your wellness:
1. Boosts Intelligence: Wellness writer Dominic Midgley details, ‘Sex-mad people are getting brighter not madder, according to a new survey. Psychologists at the University of Maryland have discovered that love-making greatly increases the production of neurons in the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for long-term memory. Their research conducted on mice showed that when the randy rodents were denied sexual partners it led to a fall-off in their intelligence.’ The researchers commented, ‘We discovered that even though there had been the production of new neurons the cognitive abilities acquired during the experiment decreased once the mice were subjected to long periods without sexual activity.’ Sex can also prevent dementia. According to Midgley, ‘The process of neuron creation outlined above is known as neurogenesis and is also thought to restore brain function lost through ageing.’
2. Reduces Pain: ‘A feigned headache is one of the most common excuses given by women to avoid sex,’ Midgley points out. ‘But the fact is that sexual intercourse is actually good for relieving pain whether it be a headache or a bad back. A study conducted by Southern Illinois University’s headache clinic found that one in two female migraine sufferers reported relief after climaxing. This is attributed to the fact that endorphins released during an orgasm closely resemble morphine. Others point to the fact that orgasms are associated with an upsurge of blood flow from the brain, another possible source of pain relief.’
3. Burns Calories: Midgley notes, ‘Half an hour of love-making can burn more calories than walking on a treadmill, according to a Canadian study. Twenty-one couples aged between 18 and 35 were fitted with armbands that monitored how many calories they burned during sex and the intensity of the activity. The results showed that in a typical session lasting 25 minutes the men burned an average of 100 calories and the women 69. Women came top when measuring the intensity of the activity, however. Measured in METs (the metabolic equivalent of a task) the average reading for men was six METs while for women it was 6.6. The findings endorse a previous study by the British Heart Foundation that found that 30 minutes of sexercise a day is as good for you as walking the dog.’
4. Improves Sleep: ‘Men are notorious for rolling over and nodding off as soon as the deed is done – and with good reason,’ says Midgley. ‘Brain scans have shown that the pre-frontal cortex, the area of the brain associated with consciousness, alertness and mental activity, “switches off” after orgasm. One study said the tension-relieving effects of climaxing were the equivalent of taking 2mg of the sedative diazepam. The cocktail of hormones released during orgasm – including melatonin, oxytocin, vasopressin and prolactin – also aid sleep. Contrary to myth this applies to both sexes.’
5. Relieves Stress: Midgley outlines, ‘People who have sex at least once every two weeks are better at handling stressful situations such as public speaking, according to a report from the University of the West of Scotland. It attributes this to the endorphins and oxytocin released during the sexual act. These feel-good hormones activate pleasure centres in the brain that stave off anxiety and depression and create feelings of intimacy and relaxation.’
6. Cuts Male Cancer Risk: ‘A study of 29,000 men in the US found that those who had the most orgasms reduced by a third their chances of contracting prostate cancer, the most common form of cancer among British men,’ Midgley explains. ‘This research by the National Cancer Institute was later supported by a NottinghamUniversity survey. After asking 840 men in their 50s about their sexual histories the Nottingham team found that those who engaged in regular sex – defined as more than 10 times a month – reduced their chances of prostate cancer.’
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