Various studies suggests that benefits of sex may improve some aspects of people’s well-being and physical health. However, many of the research on the issue are now out of date, and not everyone could profit from them.
Scientific studies have shown a number of potential advantages of sexual activity beyond reproduction. Some of these benefits include maintaining heart health, lowering blood pressure, and enhancing immunity.
Additionally, sex can enhance your emotions, relationships, and mental health. In this piece, we examine potential health advantages of sex and highlight pertinent data, emphasising the physical rather than the emotional.
Support for heart health
In particular for women, partnered sex seems to have some preventive effects on cardiovascular health. A 2016 study examined the potential health advantages of regular partner sex.
According to this study, women who are sexually active had a lower risk of developing heart problems in later life. High levels of sexual activity, the study found, may, however, put men at greater risk for cardiovascular problems.
Additional investigations are required to confirm this risk because this finding defies the majority of past evidence. Benefits of sex is safe for heart-related patients, both men and women, should be discussed with their physician. In order to determine how often and how intensely they engage in sexual activity, it is important for them to be detailed.
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Lower blood pressure
Blood pressure was examined as one of the indicators of heart health in the same 2016 study. Researchers discovered that elderly women with high blood pressure were less likely to be satisfied with their sex life. The study’s authors, however, did not discover the same outcomes in older men.
The American Heart Association (AHA) claims that having high blood pressure might have an impact on a man’s libido as well as his capacity to get and keep an erection. Erectile dysfunction and decreased libido are also side effects of high blood pressure medication.
Although it cannot prove a benefit, this may indicate a connection between blood pressure and sexual health. When it comes to sexual activity, many persons with high blood pressure, or hypertension, worry about their safety.
Although it is always vital to see a doctor, having sex is mostly safe for those with high blood pressure. A person can speak with their doctor if taking a hypertension medication is producing sexual problems as they might be able to recommend an alternative prescription or dosage to lessen the side effects.
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Increasing the immunity of the body
Benefits of Sex early studies revealed that having sex frequently improved the immune system’s performance. Researchers discovered that individuals who engaged in frequent sex—defined as one to two times per week—had higher levels of immunoglobin A (IgA) in their bodies than non-frequent users.
IgA is an antibody that resides in mucosal tissue, including the tissue of the vagina, nose, and salivary glands. It is crucial to note that this study was published in 2004 and has not been followed up on afterwards. A fresh investigation might produce different findings.
Enhancing sleep
According to the National Sleep Foundation, sexual engagement has hormonal advantages for sleep. Benefits of sex the hormones that make you feel less stressed and anxious also make you tired. The bodily chemicals oxytocin, dopamine, and endorphins are released during sexual activity. Another hormone called prolactin begins to circulate after an orgasm. Feelings of relaxation and satisfaction are brought on by prolactin.
Lowering the risk of prostate cancer
Prostate cancer risk may be decreased by frequent ejaculation, according to an early study from 2004. The study looked at the frequency of ejaculation in over 30,000 individuals at various stages of their lives. Benefits of Sex, they came to the conclusion that males who ejaculated more frequently—more than 21 times per month—had a decreased risk of prostate cancer than those who did so only 4–7 times each month.
Reducing tension
A healthy method to decompress naturally is through sex. A 2019 study examined the impact of romantic connection on cortisol levels. The body releases the steroid hormone cortisol in response to stress.
The study’s findings showed that intimate displays, whether sexual or not, were effective in bringing cortisol levels in both males and females back to normal. This stress-relieving impact of sex may be due to the production of “feel-good” chemicals such as oxytocin, endorphins, and others.
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Tips
It’s important to keep in mind that having sex without protection can be harmful to general health, even though it might be enjoyable and possibly healthy. STIs and unintended pregnancy are risks for people who engage in sexual activity without utilising contraception.
These results can be avoided by using a condom or another form of contraception. If someone has several partners, they can lower the risk by limiting the number of people they have sex with. One should consult a medical practitioner if having sex gets uncomfortable or results in bleeding.