THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF SEX

KATY THORN AND NAIMA KARP·JANUARY 30, 2025

6 MINS READ

✓ This article was originally written by Katy Thorn and updated with the latest research by Naima Karp in 2025.

Maybe you’re committed to being as healthy as possible, or maybe you just like getting down and dirty. Either way, we’ve got good news for you.

According to science, displaying affection and engaging in sexual activity with your partner leads to better emotional and physical well-being.

Experiencing a dry spell or getting lazy about your masturbation routine? These sexy health benefits will make you think twice.

Are There Benefits of Regular Sex?

The health benefits of sex for men, women, and everyone in between are significant. Sex can improve your sleep, boost your mood, and decrease stress. It even counts as a form of exercise based on this study. But before we get to the main act, it’s time to talk about foreplay.

Along with vaginal penetration, the health benefits of oral sex and the health benefits of anal sex (as well as masturbation) are also very real – anything where you experience that rush of natural chemicals and have an orgasm counts! So what are you waiting for? Invest in crimson toys and get to climaxing.

What Are the Benefits of Foreplay?

Talking

Simply interacting socially and experiencing romantic satisfaction in your relationship with your partner can lower your blood pressure, this study says. This backs up more research that shows that heart disease happens much less among married couples.

Add that to the list of reasons to get married, right next to tax benefits and love, of course. The foundation for all relationships is communication and this is even more incentive to talk regularly with the person you love.

While we’re talking about communication, did you know that cuddling (otherwise known as ‘endurance hugging’) is an effective way to tell your partner things you just can’t put into words? According to David Klow, a marriage and family therapist,

Cuddling Lowers Blood Pressure

What Are the Health Benefits of Sex and Why?

Yeah, sex feels good. That’s a no-brainer. But when it comes to our bodies and brains, there’s even more reason to feel good about feeling good, because sex has legit effects on the brain and body.

Here are some little-known benefits of mind-blowing sex!

Higher Self Esteem

We’ve all experienced it. That little pep in our step, the smile we can’t help but crack on our commutes to work after a wonderful session of morning sex that no one knows about. Believe it or not, nature is giving you this self-esteem boost.

On the contrary, a lack of sex can lead to feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. According to research from the American Psychologist Journal, self-esteem matters and creates a ripple of success both professionally and in relationships. It even improves mental and physical health.

Boosts Immunity

Hate getting sick? Research from Wilkes University in Pennsylvania showed that people who had sex at least once a week had more immunoglobulin A in their bodies. This antibody protects against infection.

In 2021, this study showed that regular sex could act as an additional line of defense against COVID-19. This may be because sex boosts blood flow, which helps move and distribute antibodies.

Stress Relief

Stress is a normal part of everyday life, but like any problem—the sooner it is dealt with, the better. Does sex relieve stress?

The answer is yes. Research shows that sex (and intimacy in general) reduces cortisol in the body. A cocktail of other natural chemicals helps, too.

During sex, your brain releases oxytocin, a mediator of well-being, social interaction, growth, and healing. The nonapeptide kicks in after just 20 seconds of kissing, leaving an hour-long romp equating to one wild neuropeptide party.

Burns Calories

It might not replace a full session at the gym, but sex certainly burns calories. For people who aren’t hitting the gym that often and older people seeking health benefits of sex after 60, this is a useful tidbit of info.

This research indicates that men burn approximately 101 calories and women burn around 69 calories during just over 20 minutes of intercourse.

Frequent sex is connected to better memory. According to a study performed by Princeton’s Psychology Department.

The experiment’s data showed that an increase in sex promoted cellular growth in the hippocampus, an area of the brain that controls memory.

So if you have more sex, you’ll be more likely to remember your anniversary!

Of course, this number might be different based on what positions you’re doing and the duration/intensity of sex.

Sometimes, seeing climaxes as targets can reduce the joy, notably if you've never reached one. After all, the trip matters! Exploring the facts of climaxes is worthy, but we’ve got some climactic research for you.

Better Sleep

If you often experience insomnia, it looks like you need to get freaky a little more frequently. Sex releases endorphins and hormones like oxytocin, which leads to better sleep. In this recent study, most participants reported sleeping better.

The drop in blood pressure after having an orgasm can lead to more restful sleep.

People release oxytocin when they orgasm, and this decreases pain. This study from the Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine gave participants an oxytocin vapor.

When men orgasm, the prostate gland secretes fluids that may flush toxins out of the prostate gland. Regularly organizing can help prevent cancer-causing substances from accumulating.

The results showed that it drastically compared their pain (by up to 50%) to people who didn’t inhale oxytocin.

Finally, sex and masturbation promote better blood flow to the prostate gland.

A Harvard study says that men who ejaculate 20 times or more a month have a 20% lower chance of getting prostate cancer than men who climax less.

Stronger Pelvic Floor Muscles

This study tested to see if orgasms could help with postpartum muscle strength of the pelvic floor, and the results were positive. When women orgasm, they experience involuntary muscle contractions, which can strengthen the pelvic floor and reduce incontinence. Combined with kegel balls, you’ll be able to crack a walnut down there!

Final Thoughts

And while you’re adding some extra TLC to your healthcare routine, don’t forget about diet and exercise – namely, foods and workouts that bolster and enhance your sexual performance. Check out the foods that can increase your libido, as well as our suggestions for workout moves for better lovemaking, and thank us later.

If we’re being honest, sometimes you’ve just got to do it yourself — and adding a sensual massager to the equation will only enhance your chances for pleasure. Next time you feel like enjoying yourself, get extra peace of mind knowing that the benefits go beyond pleasure and you’re doing your mind and body a favor as well.

Discover pleasure with:

Katy Thorn is a post-grad writer with a passion for writing about sex, sexuality, and all things rated R. She received her degree in Women’s Studies with a focus in Intersectionality at the University of California, Berkeley (Go Bears!). She has a cat named Yoko, drinks too much black coffee, and hates writing bios.

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