Masturbation can relieve stress, boost your mood, and help you sleep better
During your last pleasurable sexual experience (with or without a partner) you weren’t thinking about which bills you had to pay or worrying if what you said at the last company party was stupid. Instead, you were (hopefully) in the moment and enjoying yourself. There is a physiological reason for this! During sexual experiences, the pleasure center in your brain (hypothalamus and thalamus) is activated and the amygdala, which is responsible for emotional responses like fear and anxiety is muted.
In a study conducted in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, the benefits of orgasm were researched. It found that the concentration of the feel-good natural hormones - oxytocin and dopamine - was increased and released into the body immediately after climax. This resulted in a mood-boosting effect and decreased levels of cortisol (a stress hormone). So, that euphoric sleepy feeling we often associate with the aftermath of a positive sexual experience is our body’s way of reacting to these internal hormone shifts. This leads to more regulated moods and optimizes our chances to experience better sleep.
Solo sex can be a supplemental workout
Not only do hormones play a role, but also sexual activities that lead to climax allow our blood to get pumping. When this happens, we experience an elevated heart rate and a steady flow of oxygen in our bodily tissues. Not to mention the fact that such a release increases white blood cells, which can help fight off infections and ultimately boost the immune system overall. A 2013 study examined the energy expenditure of young men and women during sexual activity and compared it to a typical “session of endurance exercise.” The result? Men were found to experience a slightly higher energy expenditure than women, however, all who participated in sexual activity (both solo and with a partner) experienced levels of moderate intensity. Meaning that their activity was equivalent to about a 30-minute cardio session!
While masturbation and sex should not replace a regular exercise routine, it is worth noting that those who participated in the study found the sexual activity they partook in to be extremely enjoyable. So why not supplement your routine with some solo sexual play? It can lead to healthy regulation within the body and even be considered a bit of a workout!
Self-play can boost your libido
Did you know masturbation can increase your sex drive? Women who struggle with low libido and go to their doctors for input may be surprised when they are told to focus on their own self-arousal. The logic behind this suggestion is demonstrated in a study in the Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, where women who struggled with low sexual desire were found to face a mental barrier that made sexual activities seem undesirable. The solution? Self-arousal and masturbation. If women can make themselves orgasm, then the feel-good hormones within the body are naturally increased. It is argued that this could develop into a positive feedback loop that signals to the brain that by reaching climax - the body will feel better overall. Men may experience a similar outcome, too. Plus, there are some added benefits. Masturbation may help some last longer during partner sex and it should also be noted that regular ejaculation for those who have a prostate may reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
So, the solution to boosting libido is using it! Which doesn’t sound like the worst thing a doctor could order.
Helps one develop a strong sensual identity
Masturbation has many physiological health benefits, but it doesn’t stop there. By practicing solo sex, you can better understand your own body and its likes and dislikes. This results in a strong sensual identity that is confidence-boosting and empowering. When one is clear about what feels good in their body, it gets others noticing and radiates between the sheets when participating in partner sex.
So, need I say more? There are some seriously good reasons to implement masturbation into your regular routine.
Sources:
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0079342
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5087697/
https://www.jsm.jsexmed.org/article/S1743-6095(15)32435-8/fulltext
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2019.00033/full
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0092623X.2018.1518881
