5 Ways Sex Improves Your Health

Five Ways Sex Improves Your Health

When we talk about Sexual Health, we're not just talking about the lack of disease or dysfunction, we're also concerned with promoting what we call a "sex-positive" outlook: a healthy respect for sex that impacts you and your partner in a positive way. The Centers for Disease Control call this "a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality." We couldn't agree more!

But let's take it a step further. Can good sex improve your overall health? Yeah, sure, we all know that good sex can make your life a lot happier, but what about actual physical benefits? If an apple a day can keep the doctor away, what can a sensational orgasm do?

Sex can keep you skinny.

Got your attention now, don't we? Like any athletic workout, sex burns calories: about 85 calories every 30 minutes. Small amounts of calories burned will eventually add up. Instead of chowing down on a piece of chocolate cake you can indugle in edible foreplay such as the yummy chocolatey goodness of Kama Sutra Body Chocolate.

Sex is a pain-killer.

No matter what you see on House M.D., forget the vicodin. Sex produces a hormone called oxytocin, which causes your natural endorphin levels to rise. Endorphins make you feel better and happier, and they're natural pain-killers.

Add prostate massage to sex for better health.

We're all for prostate massage in its many forms. Not only does it produce fantastic male orgasms and makes the overall sexual experience between couples more fun, it can have definite health benefits. Prostate massage can elevate the amount of semen produced and result in more powerful ejaculation. The British Journal of Urology International found that men in their 20s who ejaculated 5 or more times a week reduced the risk of prostate cancer by a third. To stimulate the prostate, check out the Aneros MGX Prostate Massager, the Rocks Off Naughty Boy massager (both customer-favorites), and the Pro Touch G-spot Vibrator, which is great for either women or men.

Sex helps avoid incontinence.

In older women, incontinence can be annoying, not to mention embarrassing. The good news is that the effects can be reversed, both by having regular sex and by pelvic exercise. This is the kind of exercise you'll love doing! The muscles that form the pelvic floor can lose muscle tone over the years, which causes incontinence. To strengthen those muscles, simply tighten them by squeezing your partner's penis with your vaginal muscles during sex. Hold for a count of three or more.  He'll love it, and you'll get the health benefits! You can do this on your own, too, using a pelvic exerciser like Dr. Berman's Juno, Dr. Berman's Isis, or pelvic exerciser balls like the Couture Eclipse.

Sex is better than sleeping pills.

Okay, women have long complained when the sex is over and their guys roll over and fall asleep. But give the guys a break, ladies: they're only doing what's natural - and so can you! That oxytocin hormone produced during sex can also help you sleep, and getting a good night's sleep promotes overall health, even helping with your blood pressure. And if you two are really going at it for a while and burning all those calories, you can probably use the rest and relaxation!

Image: clevercupcakes