Sex is Good For Your Health

By Ava Cadell

I believe that regularly occurring and frequent sex will produce certain emotional and physical health benefits. It's long been established that there are myriad of health benefits related to sexual activity. This awareness has been recorded in our culture for centuries in the form of old wives tales such as "Use it, or lose it." Just as if you don't use your common household appliances regularly, they'll also become rusty and break down.

A consistently active sex life can be directly beneficial for the cardiovascular system, particularly for men. The increase in heart rate is directly beneficial to the circulation, and can reduce the likelihood of a heart attack. The British Medical Journal published an article in 1997 that reported that men who had the highest number of orgasms had a better quality of life and lived the longest.

Sexual activity can also regulate and exercise the respiratory organs. In short, that heavy breathing with someone you love is healthy. Sex benefits neck and back muscles which increases blood flow to the brain and can alleviate certain types of headache...so, the next time your partner says, "I've got a headache, " you can say, "Good, let's make love and get rid of it."

In the post-coital phase of sex, the relaxation of muscles can even alleviate insomnia. The release of tension can lead to a deeper, quicker sleep.

Believe it or not, sex can work as a laxative, toning and controlling the lower abdominal muscles. Sex as pain medication may sound far fetched, but consider this: Just before the point of no return, high levels of oxytocin flood the body and release endorphins that relieve pain. Sexual activity can also help to relieve menstrual cramps by providing a natural decongestion.

No more flu or pesky colds is a good reason to have sex at least once or twice a week. That's what research showed at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania. They discovered that people who had regular sex had 30% higher levels of immunoglobulin A, an antibody which boosts the immune system.

If you think you're overweight, there's no better way to lose it than with increased sexual activity. It not only burns calories, but can also help turn fat into muscle more quickly than any other forms of exercise. Sex will burn a significant amount of calories but over eating will still cause weight gain. The most concise research shows that the act of sexual intercourse burns of about 200 calories, which is equal to running on a treadmill for half an hour.

Having sex keeps your organs healthy. Just as exercising the other muscles of your body contributes to your well being, sexual activity contributes to the flow of blood to your organs and helps to keep everything in good working condition from top to bottom.

There are also many wonderful psychological benefits. Sexual activity releases pleasure endorphins from the brain, which flood the body and literally de-stress it.

Sex can be an effective anti-depressant because it releases feel-good neurotransmitters from the brain called Dopamine. The physical and emotional aspect of sex can work together in improving self-esteem and adds to a sense of confidence.

Sex can help to get those creative juices flowing. Since sexual fulfillment also involves your brain, it can improve a variety of mental functions, including your concentration. Sex can make the mind more active and an imaginative approach to sex can not only spice up your love life, but it can create that wonderful feeling of sexual anticipation.

One of the most important psychological benefits of an active sex life is that it can reduce anxiety. The sedative effect of sexual activity is conducive to fighting the effects of daily tension. The emotional fulfillment that comes from an intimate sexual encounter results in the relaxation of your muscles in your brain.

Sex can improve your sense of smell because after lovemaking, prolactin, a hormone, flows to the brain and develops new neurons in the olfactory bulb, which is the brain's smell center.
The unique sense of intimate connection with the person you love cannot be duplicated by any other activity. Nothing else stimulates all the senses quite like sex.

There has been an enormous amount of research in the field of psychology focusing on the relationship between sexuality and mental health. Recent medical discoveries by the American Heart Association have confirmed the physical benefits of an active sex life. The American Association of Urologists and significant medical school studies at the University of California and Indiana, just to name two, have documented studies about the health aspects of an active sex life. Forbes magazine did a cover story on why sex is good for your health in 2003 with statistics from major universities and medical journals.

Let's face it, sex is really an integral part of a healthy life and can help you emotionally, psychologically, and physically. In summation, sex is good for you health in terms of the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, menstrual cramps, acts as a laxative, burns calories, keeps your organs healthy, acts as an anti-depressant, a mild sedative, can stimulate creativity, concentration, reduce stress,...and it feels great!