Sex is fun, relaxing and feels good, but did you know regular time in the sack can lower your stress levels, help you feel more confident and improves your heart health? And that’s not all.
“Your sexual health is a really strong marker for your overall health,” says Christopher Starks, MD, of StoneSprings Hospital Center in Dulles, Virginia.
Here are eight ways time between the sheets can improve your health and easy ways to make more time for sex.
YOUR RELATIONSHIP WILL GET STRONGER
Perhaps the biggest benefit of regular sex is a healthy, functional relationship. “Decreased sexual frequency is highly correlated with relationship deterioration and couples that are growing apart,” says Dr. Starks. Couples who have regular sex, have a deep sense of closeness, and are able to tighten their bond, adds Starks.
Sex may also spark a two-day “afterglow,” according to a team of Florida State University experts who examined two independent studies of newlywed couples. The 48-hour afterglow includes immediate sexual satisfaction, and greater overall relationship satisfaction down the road.
You have to make time to be intimate, though. Starks encourages his couples to think of their relationship as a bank account. "As we go through life, we’re always making withdrawals, asking our partners to do things or to help us. Well, regular sex may be one of the ways in which we can add positive currency back into that account,” says Starks.
IT HELPS YOUR HEART HEALTH
Regular sex doesn’t just help your love life; it helps your heart, too. One study found that men who had sex twice a week had a lower risk of heart disease compared to men who had sex once a month. Sex provides light physical activity, better relationship satisfaction and less inflammation, all things that contribute to better heart health.
“The arteries that help men get an erection are very closely related to the blood vessels that feed back to your heart,” says Starks. Anything you can do to make the arteries healthier like exercise, a healthy diet and attention to cardiovascular risk factors like cholesterol and high blood pressure, will help with erections, says Starks.
IT’LL START YOUR DAY OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT
Getting to work on time may be tough enough as it is, but waking up a little earlier to take time for a.m. sex may be beneficial in the long run. “We’re so stressed at the end of the day and our energy levels are really starting to dip, but don’t forget about the whole other half of the day that’s called mornings.”
Your energy levels are higher in the morning, so you may be able to enjoy being intimate a bit more than you would at night. “Having a chance to start your day off connecting with your partner will carry with you.” And you may even feel more energized throughout the day, too.
YOUR STRESS AND ANXIETY LEVELS WILL BE LOWER
Stressing over a big presentation? Some time between the sheets may help relax your mind before the big day.
“Sensory pathways hit when you’re in the process of having sex and during climax. Powerful neurotransmitters are released throughout the entire brain,” says Starks. Dopamine, one of the neurotransmitter that’s released during sex, helps reduce anxiety and depression.
YOU'LL BE A STAR EMPLOYEE
Not only will more time in the sack lower your stress levels before a big day at work, it will actually help you enjoy your work more—and stay engaged while you’re there.
One study followed the sex habits of 159 married employees for two weeks and found that both the men and women who made sex a priority in their home life were more likely to enjoy their tasks and responsibilities at work the next day. Couples who had sex were also more involved and engaged in work projects throughout the day. Another plus? Those who had a healthy sex life were more positive at work, too.
IT MAY REDUCE ACHES AND PAINS
If you have chronic pain conditions like migraines, fibromyalgia, arthritis or back pain, the answer to your discomfort may be more time in the sack. After you’ve climaxed, your body releases endorphins or chemicals that act as natural painkillers. The release of these “feel-good” chemicals may also help you feel more relaxed and content, post deed.
YOU’LL SLEEP BETTER
After sex, you probably feel like catching some ZZZ’s. And you’re not just imagining that sense of calm—there’s actually some science behind it. Experts believe that sex soothes the brain, triggering the release of calming chemicals that relax the muscles. Post climax, your muscles are relaxed and a natural state of sedation may set in, especially for men.
HOW TO MAKE TIME FOR SEX
Finding time for sex is the hard part, but to reap all the health benefits sex has to offer, you have to set aside time for it.
Try making Wednesday “hump days” the day you and your partner get physical, says Starks. Or schedule a weekly at-home date night complete with candles, wine and soothing music. And maybe it’s not all about your time between the sheets. Other forms of pleasure like massages and foot rubs are enjoyable ways to connect with your partner, too.
“If there’s any way you can incorporate your intimacy lifestyle into some of those things that help you unwind, that can be beneficial,” says Starks.