The benefits of sex

Online, you can find the 5, 7, 10, 20 or even 1001 benefits of sex.

Without going that far, yes, sex is good for your health.

Let's go back to the basics:

- Sex is cardio, and cardio is sport... and sport is good for you. According to a study published in Plos One, the average sexual encounter burns between 69 and 100 calories, which is roughly equivalent to a 10 km jog on a treadmill. (The difference is that we often feel more like working out under the covers than going for a run in the cold and rain!)

- Sex reduces stress and anxiety, and makes you happy. Many studies show that increased sexual arousal lowers levels of the stress hormone cortisol. That's why many people feel so relaxed after sex (No, it's not the effect of the post-coital cigarette, in case you ever doubted it!). And that's not all: sex can lower stress levels by releasing endorphins, which are the neurotransmitters associated with pleasure, and thus improve our overall mood.

- Sex boosts the immune system. Sex helps boost our immune system. Early results from a small study have shown that there may be a correlation between sex and immune response. Studies have shown that sexually active women had higher levels of immunoglobulin A in their saliva than those who were not. Having low levels of this antibody can increase the risk of developing certain respiratory diseases such as pneumonia and bronchitis.

- Sex helps prevent heart problems. Sexual activity can affect our heart. It can help lower blood pressure in two ways. First, by regularly increasing our heart rate, the heart is able to pump blood more efficiently throughout the body, which lowers blood pressure. Second, the release of certain chemicals reduces stress and anxiety, both of which are associated with high blood pressure.

- Sex reduces pain. During sex, the brain releases endorphins, chemicals that help us cope with pain. According to a Mayo Clinic study, this happens even with chronic pain. However, there are also times when sex can cause pain. For example, in people with endometriosis, vulvodynia or sometimes during menopause. If you have joint problems, you should also choose gentle positions.

- Sex enhances intimacy and libido. Sex enhances intimacy in a couple. This is because it increases levels of the love hormone oxytocin, which is associated with feelings of loyalty and empathy. Needless to say, when we have a relationship in which we feel intimately connected to each other, our sexual desire, or libido, is likely to increase as well... In short, the more we do somersaults, the more we want to become gymnasts 

- Sex makes you smarter. In 2010, a study showed that the neurons in rats that had frequent sex had their learning and memory areas in the brain expand. The reason? Pleasure induces a greater availability of the body and mind than stress, which on the contrary, impairs concentration.

- Sex prevents prostate cancer and breast cancer. According to several studies, having regular ejaculations, at a rate of 21 times per month for men aged between 20 and 29 years, would allow them to have a lower risk of developing prostate cancer.  The risk is thus reduced by 19% compared to those who ejaculate 4 to 7 times a month. On the female side, thanks to oxytocin, the happiness hormone, women whose breasts are regularly caressed are less likely to develop breast cancer, according to experts. Oxytocin, which contributes to a feeling of euphoria and well-being, reaches its maximum level in the blood at the time of orgasm.

- Sex helps build up your pelvic floor muscles. Sex helps maintain the pelvic floor muscles. This is an asset for many women because a third of them experience a weakening of the perineum, particularly following childbirth. A muscular perineum also makes it possible to have more pleasure.

- Sex promotes proper bladder function in women. The physical exercise of sex on the pelvic muscles helps prevent incontinence and promotes bladder function. Orgasm, which causes the muscles in the pelvic area to contract, is an excellent way to strengthen the urinary system in women.

- Sex relieves migraines. Sex is said to relieve headaches, even migraines. The reason? During a sexual intercourse, endorphins are released, and calm the pain. In addition, the blood flow is drawn to the genitals and is then less felt at the level of the head ... Sorry, you will not be able to use the excuse of migraine 

- Sex helps relieve menstrual pain. Having sex or an orgasm during our period would help reduce the pain associated with the menstrual period. Contractions to the uterus caused by an orgasm relax the uterine muscle and decrease menstrual cramps. This practice is not very popular, but a study conducted by the prestigious Yale University explains that having sex during menstruation would decrease its intensity and duration.

- Sex makes you look younger and increases longevity. A happy sex life is the key to living a healthy life and looking younger, according to a study of 3,500 people between the ages of 18 and 102 at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital in Scotland. Researchers attribute this to several factors associated with sexual activity: reduced stress, greater satisfaction and better sleep. A longitudinal study in Wales examined the relationship between mortality and frequency of sexual activity. Researchers found that the risk of death in any given year was 50% lower for men who had sex twice a week or more than for men who had sex less than once a month. And even after adding in the parameters of age, social class and smoking, the study concluded that the more sex you had, the better off you were.