If you needed more reasons to have sex, we’ve got them for you.
A doctor has revealed that not only does sex feel great, it can improve your health in a number of ways.
Dr. Ravina Bhanot, the founder of Zonas Fertility, says regular bonking can reduce the risk of heart attacks.
The London-based NHS doctor also says it can improve sleep, immunity and mental health.
Her TikTok video has racked up 1.5 million views and almost 33,000 likes from sex-loving viewers.
Here are the ways getting between the sheets can be beneficial:
Reduces risk of heart attack
Get that heart pumping!
A sex session may be able to reduce the risk of heart disease, which can lead to heart attacks.
One study in men found that those who had the most sex were less likely to get cardiovascular disease, which also covers stroke.
They were having sex twice a week or more compared to those having it once a month or less, the study in the American Journal of Cardiology said.
But be careful – other studies have shown men of older age might trigger a heart attack if they are sexually active.
The best ways to really prevent sometimes fatal heart attacks is to stop smoking, stick to alcohol guidelines, eat healthily and exercise.
It’s good for the mind
Sex – and all that comes with it – can create strong social connections, including those who are single.
Research showed the during COVID, single women who were unable to have casual sex reported feelings of low mood.
In a relationship, sex can help couples bond, trust each other, and lower feelings of loneliness.
All these can boost mental health and bust stress.
The act of sex floods the brain with happy hormone dopamine and cuddle hormone oxytocin.
This euphoric cocktail helps with feeling calm – reducing how stressed out you feel. But while it peaks at orgasm, even sensual touch can kick-start its production.
Reduces blood pressure
High blood pressure can be a killer. But regular romping can cut blood pressure as effectively as medicine, a study claimed.
Having an orgasm slashed volunteers’ readings by up to 13 percent the next day.
The US scientists also reported: “The more pleasurable the orgasm, the lower the readings on the day after intercourse.”
Improves bladder control
Plus, research shows that having sex regularly can also encourage growth in the hippocampus, which is the region in the brain that helps control stress levels.
Childbirth and aging is a number one driver of weak bladder control in women.
But spending more time getting frisky between the sheets could counteract this.
Sex strengthens the pelvic floor muscles, which are crucial for holding urine.
It comes full circle, too, as greater pelvic floor muscles are scientifically proven to correlate to better orgasms.
You can also work the pelvic floor muscles without any help from a partner with some simple exercises.
Improves sleep
A passionate night of lovemaking is bound to leave anyone feeling sleepy.
If not due to the physical exertion of sex, the chemicals released in the brain may help you hit the sack.
A 2016 review of research done at the University of Ottawa suggests engaging in sexual intercourse before sleep can decrease stress, Healthline reports, and possibly help insomniacs get shut-eye.
Meanwhile, another study suggested that the act of having sex helped promote going to sleep, and may “offer adults a healthy behavioral approach toward improving their subsequent sleep”.
Increases immunity
There is some evidence that sex or masturbation can keep immunity levels up.
One small but promising study of 11 men – who were awkwardly told to masturbate while researchers took blood tests – suggests so.
Published in 2004, it showed masturbation caused a temporary spike in immune cells, including killer cells that fight viruses.
An example is lymphocytes – white blood cells that fight foreign invaders, including the coronavirus.
The effect lasted for around 45 minutes after orgasm, according to the study by the Department of Medical Psychology, University Clinic of Essen, Germany.
Improves libido
The more you have it, the more you want it.
Some experts say if you’re having good sex, hormones cause you to crave it more.
And it goes without saying, if you’re having fun with a new partner, you’ll want to keep going back.
If your libido has hit a rock bottom, and sex is the last thing you want to do, to increase it, there are other things you can try, such as more sleep.
There are many reasons why sex drive goes down, including stress, mental health illness and underlying medical conditions – so it’s worth investigating the true cause if you are struggling with libido.
This story originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced here with permission.
