We know that sex feels good. But is there more to it than just pleasure? Actually, yes. When it comes to fooling around, it turns out the body reaps a slew of benefits—from an improved immune system to reduced stress. When you’re with a wonderful, supportive sexual partner, the health benefits of sex can be life-changing. Forget an apple a day—a romp in the hay may keep the doctor away. It can also be good for you. Here’s what a healthy sexual life can do for you:
1. 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 their 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 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.
2. Boosts Your Libido
Longing for a more lively sexual 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 gynaecology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.
For women, having sex improves vaginal lubrication, blood flow, and elasticity, she says, all of which make sex feel better and help you crave more of it.
3. 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 strengthen them.
4. Lowers Your Blood Pressure
Research suggests a link between sex and lower blood pressure, says Joseph J. Pinzone, MD. He is the 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.
5. Counts as Exercise
“Sex is a really great form of exercise,” Pinzone says. It won’t replace the treadmill, but it counts for something.
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 regularly. “Like with exercise, consistency helps maximize the benefits,” Pinzone says.
6. Lowers Heart Attack Risk
A good sexual 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.
7. Lessens Pain
Before you reach for an aspirin, try for an orgasm. “Neurochemicals released during sex can act as a natural painkiller, which has been shown to combat headaches and reduce lower back pain,” says Deitsch. “The increased blood flow to the outer regions during sex and orgasm can also calm menstrual cramping.”
“Alongside increased levels of oxytocin, the release of endorphins during sexual activity has the potential to alleviate cramps, headaches, and other body pains. Oxytocin has been shown to increase pain thresholds by more than 50%.”
8. 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.
9. 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 sexual intercourse, says Sheenie Ambardar, MD. She is a psychiatrist in West Hollywood, Calif.
10. Eases Stress
Being close to your partner can soothe stress and anxiety.
“Exercise is a well-known stress reliever, and sex, a combination of exercise and pleasure, offers a powerful punch of stress relief,” says Deitsch. “One study found that daily sex for two weeks spurred cell growth in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that manages stress levels.”
It’s no wonder, then, that frequent sex has been linked to a significantly reduced risk of heart disease and heart attack in men.
