IT’S TIME TO START SEXERCISING
While
sex will never equal a kickboxing class or a session of strength training, the
fact that you’re getting some sort of a muscular workout is undeniable. The
human body has over 600 muscles and during sex, “we’re releasing and
contracting all the muscles within the body,” says Patti Britton, PhD, author
of The Art of Sex Coaching and past president of the American
Association for Sexuality Educators. Arms, butt, legs, core muscles — they’re
all getting used. And while some positions have better toning payoffs than
others, as long as you’re putting some effort into it you’ll be burning
calories from start to (ahem) finish.
1. A HAPPIER MOOD
Having
sex is definitely pleasurable on a physical level, but chemically it has been
suggested to elevate mood and reduce depression.
The
surmised reason, believe it or not: Exposure to semen. A study done by the
State University of New York controlled the length of a relationship, amount of
sex, time elapsed since last sexual encounter, and use of oral contraceptives
to show that women who never used condoms reported better moods and fewer
depressive symptoms or suicidal thoughts than those who used condoms. Why? One
theory is that vaginal tissue is very absorptive, and semen contains a host of
mood-elevating chemicals, like endorphins, oxytocin, serotonin, and prolactin.
For women, sex is literally a jolt to your system, and if you’re getting it on
regularly you might be on cloud nine for quite a while.
2.
A STRONGER IMMUNE SYSTEM
Orange
juice? Check. Flu shot? Check. Sexytime? Check!
A study
from Wilkes University in Pennsylvania indicated that people having sex one to
two times a week had three times as much Immunoglobulin A (a major antibody) in
their systems as those having no sex, infrequent sex (less than once a week),
or — a note to your nosy neighbors — very frequent sex (3 times or more a
week).
3.
GLOWING SKIN
Forget
your morning swipe of blush and overly expensive face serums. With increased
blood circulation and oxygenation of the blood, a post-coital glow means a
temporary brighter complexion. But there are longer-lasting beauty benefits of
sex, too. An orgasm triggers a rush of endorphins and growth hormones, like
DHEA, that help heal damage caused by the sun, smoking, and cortisol buildup,
which is associated with the thinning of the skin. In fact, a Scottish study
showed that people who have sex every other day look dramatically younger (up
to seven to 12 years!) than their compatriots. If your crow’s feet are a
growing concern, make sure to get some alone time in with your guy — your face
will thank you.
4. STRESS RELIEF
In 2010,
Brazil’s health minister recommended sex (along with other traditional forms of
exercise) as a fix for the nation’s high blood pressure problems, and he wasn’t
completely off the mark. Researchers from Scotland have found that people who
were sexually active had lower blood pressure when engaged in stress-inducing
tasks, such as public speaking, with those only having sex in the last two
weeks charting the lowest number.
“In
part, it’s the oxygenation of blood and the focusing of the mind away from
negative stressors,” explains Britton. “Sex has that magical quality of
bringing you into the moment, especially at orgasm, which is a period of time
that feels like animated suspension, where your mind and body both go
off-grid.”
5. STRESS RELIEF
In 2010,
Brazil’s health minister recommended sex (along with other traditional forms of
exercise) as a fix for the nation’s high blood pressure problems, and he wasn’t
completely off the mark. Researchers from Scotland have found that people who
were sexually active had lower blood pressure when engaged in stress-inducing
tasks, such as public speaking, with those only having sex in the last two
weeks charting the lowest number.
“In
part, it’s the oxygenation of blood and the focusing of the mind away from negative
stressors,” explains Britton. “Sex has that magical quality of bringing you
into the moment, especially at orgasm, which is a period of time that feels
like animated suspension, where your mind and body both go off-grid.”
6.
A SELF-ESTEEM BOOST
Those
after-sex smiles on both your faces are signs of a fun night and also a job
well done. “I think when people raise the potential of sexual expression, it
boosts their self-esteem and gives them a sense of being attractive, desirable,
proficient, and confident,” says Britton. “And that carries over into all areas
of life.”
7. A STRONGER RELATIONSHIP
Here’s a
perk you’ll both enjoy: increased intimacy. A study conducted by researchers at
the University of Pittsburgh and the University of North Carolina found that
among 59 couples, those with more loving physical contact showed the highest
amounts of oxytocin. Released both during sex and even while kissing, “oxytocin
is the hormone that creates the urge to merge and bond,” explains Britton.
“There’s a surge of it after sex and that’s where the desire to cuddle and hold
each other comes from.”
“Solo
sex, or sex with someone who you’re not in love with can still be pleasurable,
but neither fulfills the emotional needs to the extent that sex with someone
you care about can,” says Marta Meana, PhD, professor of psychology at the
University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and president of the Society for Sex Therapy
and Research. So while you’re still getting the release of oxytocin during
masturbation, the pair-bonding aspect may manifest itself more in feelings of
generosity toward others (e.g., baking your girlfriends cookies), rather than
impulses to settle down and start knitting baby booties.
8. FAST RELIEF FROM ACHES AND PAINS
That
runner’s high you get after finishing your morning loop? Thank endorphins for
that. That breathless, heady haze after some midnight nooky? Thank endorphins
for that, too. Right before climax, a wave of oxytocin rushes through your body
that in turn releases endorphins, which are similar in structure to opiates and
have the same feel-good affect by occupying morphine receptors in the brain.
“It’s pain relief and pain killing effect,” says Britton. Have a headache?
Ditch the nap and squeeze in a quickie instead.
9.
STAYING MENTALLY SHARP
In
addition to providing enhanced blood flow to the body, sex also increases blood
flow to the brain, delivering an extra boost of glucose that it uses as energy.
So, if you’ve got a buildup of e-mails to read or really want to finish your
crossword puzzle, sex might just be the jump-start you need. Afternoon delight,
anyone?
10.
MORE ZZZ’S
Don’t
take it personal if your guy starts snoring shortly after some quality time
between the sheets. That intense relaxation you feel right after climax due to
an oxytocin rush can actually make you doze off faster. Big meeting tomorrow?
Include an evening romp on your list of prep work for the night before.
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