It shouldn’t be so difficult following the rule — the more s*x you have, the healthier you’ll be. Not only can it help your general mood (thereby reducing stress), but studies show there are tangible ways s*x slows down the aging process, fights disease and even heals wounds. Here, a full breakdown of the ways getting it on can save you a trip to the ER.
1. s*x promotes heart health.
A recent study suggests that men who have s*x twice a week have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) than men who have less frequent s*x. And this was true even after researchers adjusted for erectile dysfunction. Analyzing the health records of 1,165 men who were monitored for 16 years as part of the Massachusetts Male Aging Study, epidemiologists at the New England Research Institutes found that men who had s*xual activity once a month or less were at 50 percent greater risk of cardiovascular disease than the men who had s*x more than once a week.
2. It helps to boost the immune system.
People who have s*x once or twice weekly have stronger immune systems than people who have s*x less than once a week, according to a study at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania by psychologists Carl J. Charnetski, PhD, and Francis X. Brennan Jr., PhD. Having s*x once or twice a week increases levels of an antibody called immunoglobin A (that’s the stuff that fights off colds and other infections), which really keeps the doctor away!
3. s*x helps burn calories.
Due to its brevity, having an climax fries only two or three calories. But the prelude can burn quite a bit more, depending on your weight and the length and vigor of the lovemaking session. For example, a raucous romp uses about 5 METs (metabolic equivalents), a system for gauging the intensity of physical activity. (Sitting quietly, for comparison, is equal to 1 MET.) So, a 190-pound man would burn 413 calories in an hour of vigorous s*xual activity. But since the average lovemaking session is about 20 minutes, you’re talking about only around 150 calories. Still, that’s more than double the caloric expenditure of sitting alone on the couch.
4. Love longer, live longer.
An Irish study published in the British Medical Journal in 1997 tracked the mortality of 1,000 middle-aged men over the course of a decade and concluded that s*xual activity may have a protective effect on health. By comparing men according to age and health, researchers found that men who had the highest frequency of orgasms had a death rate 50-percent lower than men who did not release frequently.
5. s*x stifles stress.
Research at the University of the West of Scotland shows that s*x, like exercise, releases anxiety, lowers stress hormones, and can help people cope with mental pressure for at least a week. In the study, 46 men and women were put in a stressful situation involving speaking and working math problems in front of a tough audience. Participants were also asked to keep a diary of their s*xual activity for two weeks prior to the test. Those who had s*x were the least stressed out, and their blood pressures returned to normal faster after the public speaking test. “People who had penile-vaginal intercourse did twice as well as people who only masturbated or had no s*x at all,” says psychologist and lead researcher Stuart Brody.
6. Good love is better than a bandage.
Researchers at Ohio State University Medical Center inflicted minor blister wounds on the arms of 45 married couples during 24-hour visits on two different occasions. On the first visit, the couples were prompted to engage in a positive, supportive discussion. Two months later they returned and new wounds were administered, the couples were prompted to argue. Results showed that wounds healed nearly two times faster after the positive interaction.
7. More s*x may turn back the clock.
Can having s*x keep wrinkles away? British neuropsychologist David Weeks, MD, of Royal Edinburgh Hospital believes so. In a 10-year-long study, he interviewed 3,500 adults in England and the United States, and found that people who reported having s*x four times a week looked about 10 years younger than they actually were. Pleasure derived from having loving s*x releases hormones, including human growth hormone, that are crucial in preserving youth, he says.
8. Strenghtens nails. The same s*x-triggered hormones that make your skin glow also make our nails strong, which means less splitting and breaking, and longer-lasting manicures.
9. Gives us great hair. Hormones not only control our s*x drives, but also the condition of our hair. Research has shown that a satisfying s*x life results in healthy, lush hair due to the body’s increased ability to receive and metabolize nutrients efficiently.
10. Frequent orgasms may protect against cancer.
Several studies have suggested that frequent ejaculation over many years may decrease risk of prostate cancer. In one US study, 29,000 men, ages 46 to 81, were asked their history of s*xual intercourse and self service between the ages of 20 and 49. Researchers at the National Cancer Institute analyzed the data and determined that the group of men who reported 21 orgasms per month was much less likely to have prostate cancer than men who averaged seven or fewer ejaculations per month. The researchers speculated that several protective factors may contribute: ejaculation may clear the prostate of carcinogenic secretions and the stress-reduction benefit from climax may limit potential harmful substances that could trigger cancer.
11. s*x is a natural sleeping pill.
As women know all too well, climax is a rather effective sleep aid for most men.
12. Acts as a natural pain killer. Oxytocin, one of the chemicals released during s*x, increases endorphins and decreases pain, particularly headaches—which means that standby headache excuse isn’t going to cut it anymore. s*x also speeds up the healing of wounds, even stubborn sores like those suffered by diabetics. Before heading to the medicine cabinet, see if a quickie can’t cure minor ailments!
13. Men who have more s*x are—surprise—happier!
An Australian survey of 5,000 people showed that married men are 135 percent more likely to report happiness than single men, while only 52 percent of married women are happier than unmarried women. Could it have something to do with the fact that s*x is easier for cohabiting couples? According to a national s*x survey conducted by the University of Chicago, s*xual activity is 25 percent to 300 percent greater for married couples compared to non-married people, depending on age.
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