Sex is not the answer. Sex is the question. “Yes” is the answer.
~Swami X
Sex is the most fun you can have without laughing.
~Woody Allen
Sex Reduces Pain
Immediately before orgasm, levels of the hormone oxytocin surge to five times their normal level. This releases an increase in endorphins, which alleviate the pain of everything from headache to arthritis to even migraines. In women, sex also prompts production of estrogen, which can reduce the pain of PMS. Just thinking about sex can help to reduce pain.
Sex Improves Intimacy
Speaking of oxytocin, this so-called “love” hormone helps us to bond, trust and build intimate relationships. Higher levels of oxytocin have also been linked to a feeling of generosity.
Sex Helps You Sleep Better
The release of oxytocin during orgasm promotes sleep. Getting enough sleep helps to maintain a healthy weight and blood pressure.
Sex Burns Calories and Keeps You Fit
Sex is a great way to exercise. A vigorous session may burn some 200 calories–about the same as running 15 minutes on a treadmill. 40 half-hour sessions could burn off more than enough calories to lose a pound. The pulse rate or an aroused person rises from about 70 beats per minute to 150, the same as that of an athlete at maximum effort. Muscular contractions during intercourse work the pelvis, thighs, buttocks, arms, neck and thorax.
Another fitness benefit of sex is that it can keep you in constant awareness of your body image. If you are continually being naked in front of another person, it’s a good incentive to stay in shape.
Men’s Health magazine has gone so far as to call the bed the single greatest piece of exercise equipment ever invented.
Sex Boosts Immunity
Good sexual health could mean better physical health. Wilkes University in Pennsylvania says individuals who have sex once or twice a week show 30% higher levels of an antibody called immunoglobulin A or IgA, which is known to boost the immune system, protecting you from colds and other infections.
Sex Relieves Stress
Biological Psychology reports that frequent intercourse was associated with lower diastolic blood pressure and overall stress reduction. A study of 24 women and 22 men noted that those who had intercourse had better responses to stressful situations than those who abstained from sex. They performed better at such tasks as speaking in public and doing verbal arithmetic.
Sex Improves Cardiovascular Health
Researchers in England recently published a study of 914 men who were followed for 20 years. They found that compared with those who had sex less than once a month, those having sex twice or more per week reduced the risk of fatal heart attack or stroke by 50%.
Sex makes for a Happier Prostate
Some urologists believe they see a relationship between infrequency of ejaculation and cancer of the prostate.
A study recently published by the British Journal of Urology International asserts that men in their 20s can reduce by a third their chance of getting prostate cancer by ejaculating more than five times a week. Another study, reported in the Journal of the American Medical Assn., found that frequent ejaculations, 21 or more per month, (252/year) were linked to lower prostate cancer.
Sex is a Beauty Treatment & Fountain of Youth
In a study at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital in Scotland, a panel of judges guessed participant’s ages. Those who looked seven to 12 years younger than their age were also enjoying sex at least four times a week, on average.
Sex raises a woman’s estrogen level, which helps make hair shiny and skin supple.
Sex also boosts production of testosterone, which leads to stronger bones and muscles.
Having at least two orgasms a week can increase your life span. Every time you orgasm, the hormone DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone) increases in response to sexual excitement. DHEA can boost your immune system, repair tissue, improve cognition, and even work as an antidepressant.
Sex helps your sense of smell. After sex, production of the hormone prolactin surges. This in turn causes stem cells in the brain to develop new neurons in the brain’s olfactory bulb, its smell center.
Sex gives you better bladder control. Pelvic floor muscle exercises known as Kegels offer the benefit of minimizing the risk of incontinence. Strong muscles increase the intensity of orgasms.
Sex Improves Your Teeth (special delivery system for women). Seminal plasma contains zinc, calcium and other minerals shown to retard tooth decay. It could be a far more satisfying experience than squeezing a tube of Tartar Control Crest. Researchers have noted that etiquette usually demands the brushing of one’s teeth before and/or after intimacy, which helps promote better oral hygiene.”
Sex can enhance your sense of spirituality.
Many ancient traditions and cultures view sexuality as something sacred and spiritual. Sexual energy is unlike any other. When we merge with this power during orgasm, we are connecting to our non-physical aspects. Why do you think we cry out, “Oh God!”? According to the Taoists, since we are conceived through orgasm and orgasmic energy permeates every cell of our body, we need to feel this orgasmic energy regularly – ideally every day – to stay healthy.