15 Health Benefits of Regular Sex

I was surfing the web as usual this morning when I chanced upon this article on MSN Lifestyle written by Flora McCraith. Who knew that sex has so many benificial qualities? Now there is 15 less/more reasons to reject/convince your partner.

1. Have sex for longer life
   The hormone DHEA increases every time you have an orgasm. This hormone boosts a person’s immunity, helps to keep skin healthy and repairs damaged tissue.
2. Sex improves smell
   The hormone prolactin increases after sex which causes cells in the brain to develop neurons in the brains smell centre; the olfactory bulb.
3. A healthy heart
   Scientists found that a person who has sex twice or more a week reduces their chance of a heart attack by half.
4. Healthier semen
   Men who have sex on a frequent basis have a higher volume of sperm and a higher percentage of healthier sperm. It is also thought that men lower their prostate cancer risk as they remove more waste products in their sperm.
5. Fewer menopause symptoms
   Having regular sex helps to regulate hormone levels. This can help women who are experiencing the menopause as it helps to control their symptoms.
6. Improves intimacy
   Sex can help to us to bond because having sex increases the levels of the hormone oxytocin, also known as the feel-good or cuddle hormone. It allows us to feel the urge to nurture.
7. Helps with weight loss
   Engaging in any aerobic exercise helps to burn calories and sex raises a person’s heart rate. Although you won’t be burning hundreds of calories (roughly 30 minutes of sex burns 85 calories), it certainly adds up.
8. Lower risk of breast cancer
   A study done in France found that women who didn’t have sex, or had sex infrequently, had a higher risk of breast cancer in comparison to women who have frequent sex.
9. Increased blood flow
   When a person gets aroused, blood flow increases to the brain and a fresh supply of oxygenated blood is sent to the organs. This in turn helps to get rid of waste products.
10. More hormones are good
    Having sex increases testosterone which helps to strengthen bones, muscles and keeps the heart healthy. In women, oestrogen levels increase which helps protect the heart, reduces the risk of osteoporosis and promotes fertility.
11. Improves sleep
    Sex helps to encourage sleep due to the release of the hormone oxytocin. Sleep is essential for our health as it helps to reduce stress, maintain a healthy weight, reduce blood pressure and it is when the body carries out the repairs that it needs to.
12. Pain relief
    Again, the hormone oxytocin is release when a person orgasms which releases endorphins into the body, and these help to relieve pain such as headache. It is the body’s natural pain killer.
13. Less frequent colds and flu
    Wilkes University in Pennsylvania says individuals who have sex once or twice a week show 30% higher levels of an antibody called immunoglobulin A, which is known to boost the immune system. (Is sex necessary; www.forbes.com)
14. Better bladder control
    These pelvic muscles are used during sex and they help to make it more pleasurable, but also helps to strengthen them which helps to reduce the chance of incontinence in later life.
15. Reduce stress
    People who have more sex reported that they felt more at ease and this is because sex helps to lower blood pressure and overall stress reduction. Endorphins released into the blood help to relax and regulate blood pressure.

Source: Flora McCraith, http://lifestyle.xin.msn.com/en/health/wellbeing