It’s Valentine’s Day, and our hearts and our minds turned just a wee bit scandalous this morning. We found ourselves pondering the health benefits of getting down and dirty with our honey.

So, without further ado… we are here to share them with you, so you can share them with your partner, your date, your friends, friends of your friends, or whomever you want to ummm ‘share’ these benefits of sex with on the day of love (or any day, for that matter).

1. Sex can lower your blood pressure

Sex is a form of exercise and according to a Quebec study (the French sure do know what’s important), the act burns about 90 – 120 calories per half hour…which isn’t going to replace a spinning class, but it certainly isn’t trivial.

2. Sex can power your immune system

Forget the old apple-a-day adage, an orgasm-a-day is way better (and infinitely more fun). A study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine indicates that women who had regular orgasms suffered fewer illnesses than women who didn’t.

3. Sex can help you fall asleep

If your partner (or you) starts to snore shortly after some bedroom dancing, don’t fight it. The intense relaxation felt immediately after climax is because of a rush of oxytocin — which can actually cause you to doze off.

4. Sex can help to relieve pain

Sexual activity releases endorphins, which are natural painkillers. The act has also been found to help reduce or block pain, including discomfort from muscle or menstrual cramps, arthritis and headaches. One study found that sexual activity can lead to partial or complete relief of headaches in some migraine sufferers.

And, since we’re all into how it feels, we’ll admit we love the Kimono Micro Thin Premium Condoms that  reduce friction and provide a unique slippery feeling.

5. Sex can lower your risk of specific health issues

A report in the American Journal of Cardiology states that men who have regular sex are up to 45% less likely to develop life-threatening heart conditions than those who have sex once a month (this study was not done on women unfortunately).

When a woman has an orgasm, it causes contractions in her pelvic floor muscles, strengthening them. Boost this benefit even more by doing Kegel exercises.

6. Sex can increase your lifespan

If you keep the orgasms coming, you could potentially live a longer life. Every time you climax, your body is flooded with immunoglobulin A  in response to sexual excitement.

7. Sex can reduce stress

The neurotransmitter dopamine released during arousal induces a state of relaxation that intensifies at orgasm. A study found that participants who had had sex were better able to handle stress in situations outside the bedroom than those who hadn’t.

Since massage is also excellent for stress…what better way to hint that you would like one than to buy your sweetheart a bottle of wonderfully scented massage oil?

8. Frequent sex can contribute to healthy, full-term pregnancies

We know you are aware that sex can result in pregnancy, but did you know that frequent sex with the same partner over time can ‘prime’ a woman’s body for a healthy, full term pregnancy? Research shows that women who engaged in frequent sexual activity with a committed partner (including oral sex) had higher rates of conception and fewer incidences of miscarriage, pre-eclampsia, and high blood pressure.

9. Sex can result in better circulation

When we get all hot and bothered, our blood starts to pump at an increased rate, so obviously, blood flow to our brain and other organs increases. This means that the organs are being provided with a healthy dose of oxygen and the body is ridding itself of waste products.

Well.ca

well.ca