When being intimate with your partner, thinking about the health benefits of sexual activity is probably not the first thing on your mind. However, beyond the physical enjoyment of sex comes a list of beneficial side effects that can affect everything from your weight to your heart and even your immune system.
Calories
Sex is a form of physical activity and exercise. Like any other physical activity, sex burns calories, which can contribute to health and weight loss. The number of calories burned during sexual activity varies depending on how long the session lasts, as well as how intense the session is. According to Livestrong.com's My Daily Plate, sexual activity can burn between 143 and 214 calories per hour.
Stress
Sexual intercourse may increase your body's ability to deal with stress, most noticeably by its effects on your blood pressure levels. In a 2006 study by researcher Stuart Brody, published in the journal Biological Psychology, it was found that the body reacts better to stress after intercourse than it does after other sexual activity or no activity at all. This was shown through the lower blood pressure results of those who had penile-vaginal intercourse before being placed in stressful situations.
Cancer Risks
Regular sexual intercourse may also help reduce prostate cancer risks for men. Men who ejaculated more frequently were found to have a reduced risk for developing prostate cancer, according to research published in the April 7, 2004 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Immunity
Sexual intercourse may boost the capabilities of your body's immune system. Sexual intercourse can increase the presence of antibodies called immunoglobulin A in your body. These antibodies help defend the mucous membranes of your body, such as your mouth, digestive tract and airways, against invading pathogens.
Sleep
Sex may also be responsible for helping you sleep better at night. During an orgasm, your body releases substances such as oxytocin, prolactin and vasopressin, each of which is normally produced directly before or while you are sleeping. The physical exhaustion that comes after sex may also help increase your ability to fall asleep.
References
- Journal of the American Medical Association: Ejaculation Frequency and Subsequent Risk of Prostate Cancer
- CNN: New Years Resolution: Have More Sex
- Lymphomation.org: Immunoglobulins
- Forbes: Is Sex Necessary?
- Brody, S. (2006). Blood pressure reactivity to stress is better for people who recently had penile-vaginal intercourse than for people who had other or no sexual activity. Biological Psychology, 71, 214-22.
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