Did you know sex can prevent heart attacks? Things just got even better with these new medical findings.
RELATED: HRT Hormone Replacement Therapy Frequently Asked Questions
Science Gives Us More Reasons to Have Sex
Health Benefits of Sex
It’s no secret that sex not only feels great, but it’s great for your overall health, too. Here are a few of the well-known health benefits of sex:
- Relieve stress
- Improve sleep
- Help prevent certain types of cancer
- Enhance the immune system
- Uplift mood
In case you need more reasons to have sex, here are three studies that confirm the findings.
Sex and Cardiovascular Health
Can sex prevent heart problems? Science seems to think so.
Hall, Shackelton, Rosen, and Araujo, researchers from New England Research Institutes in Massachusetts, wanted to understand the relationship between sex and cardiovascular health. They followed over a thousand middle-aged men (40-70 years old) for approximately sixteen years.
After analyzing their health history and sexual practices, they found that regular sexual activity protects men from cardiovascular disease.
Specifically, the results of their study show that:
- The men who had the lowest risk of developing cardiovascular diseases were the ones who were having the most sex.
- Men who were only having sex once a month are 45% more likely to have a cardiovascular disease compared to men who were having sex 2-3 times each week.
Sex was still a significant factor in lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease even when the researchers controlled possible confounding variables, such as overall health, blood pressure, and smoking habits.
Another researcher, Brody, was also interested in the relationship between sex and cardiovascular health. More specifically, Brody examined the effects of sexual activity on blood pressure.
Similarly to the previous study, Brody found that participants who had sex every day for two weeks had lower blood pressure compared to those who didn’t have any sex at all. High blood pressure puts people at risk for heart disease, while having stable and lower blood pressure is a sign of good cardiovascular health.
RELATED: Everything You Should Know About Vaginal Dryness During Sex
Sex and the Brain
Aside from keeping your heart healthy, sex may also be good for your brain! Researchers from Princeton, Leuner, Glasper, and Gould, examined the impact of sex on the behavior and brain function of rats.
Their study shows that daily sex can lead to cell growth in the hippocampus. They also found that the rats exhibited less stress-related behaviors.
What is the hippocampus? It’s a small area in the brain that plays a vital role in the limbic system. Specifically, it helps us process emotions, learn, form new memories, and regulates stress levels.
New cells in the hippocampus mean that it’ll be able to perform all of its functions more efficiently. This includes important functions such as emotion and stress management.
All of these studies show that sex isn’t just great for your physical health, but for your mental health as well! Dr. Justin Lehmiller, a sex researcher, believes that sexual activity isn’t only good for your heart because of all the added physical activity, but we also greatly benefit from its stress relieving effects.
If you actually needed more convincing, there you go! Sex feels great AND it keeps your body and mind healthy—so go and have as much of it as you desire!
Up Next: