As we age, maintaining good health and wellbeing becomes increasingly important. Discussions surrounding sexual activity and wellbeing can sometimes be overlooked. But the health benefits of orgasms can play a vital role in supporting our physical, emotional, and mental health.

1. Stress relief and emotional wellbeing

The pressures of daily life and the challenges that come with age can lead to increased stress levels. Orgasm triggers the release of oxytocin and endorphins, which promote relaxation and pleasure. This, in turn, can alleviate stress and contribute to a greater sense of emotional wellbeing, helping to navigate life’s ups and downs with increased resilience.

2. Sleep quality and restoration

Sleep patterns often change as we age, with many individuals experiencing difficulties falling and/or staying asleep. Orgasms can be a natural remedy for sleep issues, as the release of hormones during sexual pleasure fosters a state of calm and relaxation. For those dealing with sleep disturbances, regular orgasms can offer an improved sleep experience and greater restfulness.

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3. Immune system support

As the immune system naturally weakens with age, maintaining its effectiveness becomes crucial. Regular sexual activity leading to orgasms has been linked to increased production of immunoglobulin A (IgA), an essential antibody that helps defend the body against infections. Strengthening the immune system through sexual pleasure can help people better combat illnesses and maintain overall health.

4. Pain management

Chronic pain conditions can become more prevalent as we age, impacting daily life and wellbeing. Orgasms offer a natural way to manage pain through the release of endorphins, which act as powerful pain relievers. So find a comfortable spot, and er, hit the spot.

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5. Cardiovascular health and fitness

Engaging in sexual activity that leads to orgasm can serve as a mild cardiovascular workout, increasing heart rate and blood flow. This gentle exercise helps promote better blood circulation and may reduce the risk of heart disease, supporting heart health.

6. Hormonal balance and menopause

For women entering menopause, hormonal fluctuations can lead to various physical and emotional challenges. Orgasms can be particularly beneficial during this time, as they facilitate uterine contractions that may help reduce symptoms associated with menopause, such as hot flushes and mood swings.

7. Mental health and self-esteem

Our mental health, happiness and self-esteem can be vulnerable. The release of endorphins and dopamine during orgasms contributes to a sense of pleasure, happiness, and contentment. This natural mood boost can be uplifting, promoting positive mental wellbeing, and fostering a stronger sense of self-esteem. Feeling a bit low? You know what to do.

Could microdosing help your mental health?

From alleviating stress and promoting emotional wellbeing to supporting cardiovascular health and hormonal balance, the advantages of orgasms have far-reaching effects for people at any age.

By embracing sexual health and prioritizing intimacy, individuals can maintain and improve their overall wellbeing throughout life’s journey. So get on, celebrate this ageless pleasure and harness its numerous health benefits.

Bunty Whitstable

The post Ageless pleasure: 7 health benefits of orgasms appeared first on Silver Magazine.

As a study finds that six out of 10 of us have gone without sex for the whole lockdown period, it seems likely that plenty of people will already have taken matters, er, into their own hands anyway.

And some of the health benefits of an orgasm are particularly welcome during this time of lockdown: relieving stress, helping you sleep, lifting mood, and boosting the immune system for starters.

If it feels good, do it…

When you come, your body releases oxytocin, which reduces blood pressure and levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.

An orgasm before sleep leads to production of prolactin, a hormone that makes you feel sleepy. Men produce more, which is why they may fall asleep straight after orgasm. In women, oestrogen levels are also boosted, which enhances the REM stage of sleep, allowing a deeper sleep.

That smile of satisfaction after you’ve hit the heights of pleasure also reflects on a corresponding uplift in mood. That’s thanks to the release of serotonin, aka the happiness hormone; and dopamine, responsible for pleasure, desire and motivation.

Health benefits?

The evidence for your orgasms’ effect on the immune system is a little light, based on a study of just 11 masturbating men. But there’s so much info reporting that feeling positive helps the body’s ability to fight infection that we’re happy to take it as a given side-effect.

Orgasms also send your heart rate up. This helps to reduce the risk of heart disease

Orgasms also send your heart rate up, giving it a workout that’s roughly equivalent to climbing a flight of stairs. This helps to reduce the risk of heart disease, and can also lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Gender-specific benefits include reducing the risk of prostate cancer with frequent ejaculation, according to a long study of over 30,000 men.

And for women, protection from UTIs can arise from a process during arousal called ‘tenting’, which stretches the cervix allowing cervical fluids to flush away bacteria.

Masturbation is always a great way to get some much-needed me-time. May was National Masturbation Month (no really) so we’re making June the month of Just One More. Let’s go!

We’re having less sex

According to research, couples living together in lockdown are having sex less often. Laxman Narasimhan, chief executive of Reckitt Benckiser, manufacturers of Durex, reported that condom sales had fallen.

Obviously the introduction of social distancing had limited opportunities for sex. But also couples were being less intimate than usual, possibly because of stress. “Intimate occasions are going down and that is a manifestation of anxiety,” he said.

The Kinsey Institute of Indiana University is conducting research into our love lives during the Covid-19 pandemic. Results show that half of participants are having sex less often during lockdown. (You can take part here, if you fancy).

Yes, that background anxiety we’re all suffering from now, made up of fear of catching Covid, worrying about your nearest and dearest and/or looking after them, concern about your financial future, employment prospects, and whether you can get a supermarket delivery slot etc, etc. It’s not exactly getting us in the mood.

Working it into your routine

Having extra time on your hands but spending it 24/7 with other people means that planning and discussion around this activity is important.

If your self-isolation is solitary, you can take matters into your own hands, without the emotional and physical effort of considering someone else. Excellent – off you go.

Some people feel depreciated by their partner’s desire to masturbate

But if you are cooped up in a couple, familiarity breeds contempt. If you’re not used to spending all day every day together, increased exposure to your partner’s swearing at the computer, playing audiobooks at full volume, forgetting to buy milk on the officially sanctioned shopping outing, and non-stop whistling is unlikely to be a turn-on. And let’s not even talk about the kids being home all the time…

Some people feel depreciated by their partner’s desire to masturbate, seeing it as as evidence that they’re not sexy. That their partner would prefer to ‘rub one out’ than engage in sex with them. This needs discussion. The two things are very different.

Far better to be open about this than hide furtively in the bathroom or whatever. Issues of guilt, or shame around this won’t bring health benefits. It’s probably a good idea to bring porn into that conversation too, and how you both feel about that.

Work it all out

Set the mood, set the boundaries, and make sure there’s no guilt or stress around it. And be clear about those boundaries. Interested/nosy partners might want to join in, or watch, and that might be fine for you. But sometimes being alone, uninterrupted with your own fantasies is what you really need.

Sex is more about intimacy than purely penetration, so indulge in that in other ways. Like sharing a shower, giving each other a massage, stroking hair or simply regular hugs.

You might find that one thing leads to another…

Adrienne Wyper

The post The health benefits of masturbation – time for some self-care appeared first on Silver Magazine.