Sexual Perks? More Than You Ever Imagined!

Yeah, sure, we all know the sex has an upside. It's a great stress reliever, helps us sleep more soundly... and it feels good! But more than just feeling good, sex is good for you! Here's just a few examples:

1.      Sex may reduce the risk of prostate cancer. One study showed that men who had 21 or more ejaculations a month were less likely to develop prostate cancer than those who had fewer ejaculations. It did not matter if the ejaculations occurred through intercourse, masturbation, or nocturnal emissions.

2.      Sex boosts your immune system. Yes, studies have shown that sex boosts your body’s ability to make protective antibodies against bacteria, viruses, and other germs that cause common illnesses.

3.      Sex can give you a healthier heart. Putting aside the obvious benefits of sex-as-cardio, time spent making the beast with two backs helps keep levels of hormones, like estrogen and testosterone, in check. When these hormones are out of balance, conditions like heart disease and osteoporosis may develop. One study in men showed that those who had sex at least 2 times a week were 50 percent less likely to die of heart disease than their less sexually active peers.

4.      Sex boosts your libido. It may seem like a pice of circular logic, but having sex makes you want to have sex. And if pain and vaginal dryness make it challenging for some women to have sex, sexual activity can help combat these problems, too. Sex boosts vaginal lubrication, blood flow to the vagina, and elasticity of the tissues, all of which make for better, more pleasurable sex and heightened libido.

5.      Sex can improve a woman's bladder control. Having regular orgasms works a woman’s pelvic floor muscles, strengthening and toning them. Orgasms activate the same muscles that women use when doing Kegel exercises. Having stronger pelvic muscles means there’s less risk of accidents and urine leaks. Note that urinary incontinence affects about 30 percent of women at some point in life.

6.      Sex can lower your blood pressure. Many studies have documented a link between intercourse and lower systolic blood pressure, the first number that appears on a blood pressure test. Sex can't replace blood-pressure lowering drugs to control high blood pressure, but they may be a useful addition.

7.      Sex can help you remember.  Researchers found that sex switches the brain into a more analytical mode of and thinking processing. And animal studies suggest that sex enhances areas of the brain involved in memory.

8.      Look younger: Have more sex!  Regular sex stimulates the release of estrogen and testosterone, hormones that keep you young and vital looking. Estrogen promotes younger-looking skin and lustrous locks. In one study done on this topic, people who had sex at least 4 times per week with a regular partner were perceived to be 7 to 12 years younger than they actually were.