Masturbation. This has been such a taboo subject for so long, especially in regards to female masturbation. Well, I'm here to help normalize the conversation around self-pleasure. Here is a comprehensive list of just some of the many health benefits of solo sex.
Relieves Stress
One of the major benefits of masturbation is that it relieves stress. Stress is one of the biggest factors that determines our heart health and has a direct relation to our blood pressure and heart rate. If either of these two becomes chronically elevated, this can lead to health crises like heart attack and stroke. Masturbation, or rather, the orgasm that is a result of masturbation helps to release the hormone oxytocin. Oxytocin has been shown to provide immediate relief of symptoms of stress or anxiety when it is released in the brain.
Alleviates Pain
Instead of resorting to over the counter pain killers to relieve your headache, why not try a more holistic approach? When you have an orgasm, your body releases endorphins. Endorphins are a group of hormones secreted in the brain and nervous system. They are peptides that activate the body's opiate receptors and cause an analgesic effect throughout the body. This is literally exactly how pharmaceutical drugs like morphine, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, etc. all work to alleviate pain in our bodies. So the next time you have a headache or a muscle cramp, consider skipping the artificial drugs!
Enhances Concentration
When you combine the anxiety and stress relieving benefits of oxytocin and the "feel good" pain eliminating effects of endorphins, you set yourself up for increased focus and clarity of mind. A lot of what distracts us when we are trying to perform a task falls under either the category of stress or pain. If you have a massive headache, it can be hard to concentrate on studying for a big test. If you're feeling stressed or overwhelmed by financial problems or time constraints, it can be difficult to focus on the current task at hand. Giving yourself an orgasm can help to keep your head in the game and zero in on what you have to do right now.
Elevates Mood
Okay so we have established that oxytocin and endorphins are amazing hormones that help us to feel better and have less stress. But there are two other chemicals that your body produces when you climax from masturbation: dopamine and serotonin. Dopamine is a chemical released in the brain, also known as a neurotransmitter, that controls how we experience pleasure. It is a reward for our bodies when we do something that we enjoy. Serotonin is another neurotransmitter that helps us to regulate our mood and make us feel happy. The trademark symptom of clinical depression is a lack of serotonin in the body. So the more serotonin you produce, the happier you will feel. When you have an orgasm and your body simultaneously releases dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins, you have just created the perfect biological cocktail for happiness and a good mood!
Releases Tension
An orgasm is, at it's core, a sudden, powerful contraction of muscles followed by a release of chemicals and hormones that give us that euphoric feeling. Not only do these chemicals released during climax cause our muscles to contract, but they also help them to relax afterwards. You ever get that feeling after a really great solo session where your whole body kind of just feels all loose and tingly? Well, that's all those hormones and neurotransmitters coursing through you.
Improves Sleep Quality
Ever notice when you have amazing sex with a partner, you fall asleep almost instantly afterwards and it's like some of the best sleep of your life? Masturbation works in the same way. The euphoria that the combination of dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin creates plus the energy that an orgasm demands of your body is a perfect recipe for amazing sleep! You'll be totally relaxed and ready to fall easily into a deep, restful sleep. So the next time you're having a hard time unwinding in the evening, grab your vibrator and give yourself an orgasm.
Relieves Menstrual Cramps
Masturbation is especially helpful when it comes to relieving menstrual cramps. Not only do the endorphins work as your body's natural pain killer, but orgasms actually help to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. This, in turn, can help to lessen the severity and duration of your cramps as well as shorten your periods. Your pelvic floor muscles are the muscles that surround your reproductive and sex organs as well as the end of your digestive tract. They are the very muscles that contract when you attempt to hold in your pee and when you have an orgasm. When these muscles are strong, your body is more efficient at shedding the uterine lining during menstruation (and give you deeper, more powerful orgasms).
Boosts Libido
Yet another role that oxytocin, dopamine, and endorphins play in our bodies is regulation of our libido, our sex drive. When levels of these neurotransmitters are highly concentrated, we feel more attracted to our partners, become aroused more easily, and feel more confident and desirable ourselves. The more orgasms you have, the more sex you will want to have! Masturbation also helps you to learn what you like and what you don't like in terms of pleasure so that you can help your partner figure out ways to pleasure you when it comes time. And if you or your male partner struggle with premature ejaculation, masturbation before intimacy can help to prolong an erection and delay ejaculation. It's really a win win win for everyone!
I hope that this was an eye opening and educational post for you to help you feel better about all the wonderful ways regular masturbation can help your life and health! Know of any other great health benefits to masturbation? Drop em in the comments!
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