Many couples wonder if their intimate life is “normal” or “healthy.” Magazines and websites try to make sense of trends with surveys and suggestions about how often you should have sex, while friends quietly compare notes in search of a magic formula for how often they should be getting busy.
As a Men’s Health Clinic, we’re here to set the record straight: There is no perfect amount of sex a couple should be having.
While sex offers many health and relational benefits, coming up with an “ideal” amount of times couples should be intimate in a given week or month ignores the complexity of each relationship. Physical, emotional, and psychological health all play into the development of each couples’ norms, and a “healthy” sex life can look different for different people.
But what about those health benefits?
While relationships and personal preferences should always drive decisions about your sex life, some studies show how often you should have sex if you’re looking to improve your health. Staying active in the bedroom can contribute to a healthy lifestyle in ways you may not know about. Understanding these benefits can help you and your partner create healthy habits together, and decide what amount of intimacy is right for you.
Improving the Health of Your Heart
Research has shown that men who have sex two or more times per week are 45% less likely to develop cardiovascular disease. Does this have to do directly with how often you should have sex? Maybe. These results may suggest a correlation between heart health and intimate activities, or they may simply show that people with better heart health are more sexually active.
What does that mean for you? If things are slowing down significantly in the bedroom, a men’s health specialist can let you know if your heart could be the culprit. And if things are moving along fine, chances are your cardiovascular system is seeing some benefits!
Stress Relief
As more and more studies link stress to a myriad of health problems, nearly anything that can alleviate the pressure of daily life can feel like a good idea. For some, that solution is a vice like comfort food – but sex can offer a healthier way to get relief.
Sex releases endorphins into the brain, which can provide short term euphoria and, if one has sex frequently, longer term relaxation. If you can’t go all the way, daily physical contact and touching can release similar chemicals to a full-throttle encounter. Those who don’t have a sexual partner can still benefit from a little “self-love” for a release as well.
Higher Quality Sleep
The best part about this benefit is that, unlike the ones discussed above, it has little to do with how often you should have sex. It not require a certain amount of gettin’ busy to kick in. Your ability to sleep should benefit from each climax.
Orgasm in men releases prolactin, a biochemical which creates fatigue. Additionally, according to Mark Leyner and Billy Goldberg, M.D., “It is thought that exertion during sex and after climax depletes the muscles of energy-producing glycogen. This leaves men feeling sleepy. Since men have more muscle mass than women, men become more tired after sex.”
For women, the increase in estrogen levels from sex might not create initial sleepiness but can allow for a deeper REM sleep. This means that although falling asleep after sex is usually attributed to men, both sexes can benefit from better rest as a result of an intimate encounter.
Your Health and Sex Life Are Intertwined
At FullMast, we believe that your sex life is an important part of your personal health. While some people may be asking “How often should I have sex?” others may simply wonder “How can I have sex?” Some people might be less active by choice, but many are unable to have the intimate life they desire due to issues with erectile dysfunction.
That’s where we can help. If ED is keeping you from enjoying the sex life you want, give us a call at 1-844-500-1177 or book your free, confidential consultation online today.
