Health Benefits of Masturbation
There's an old joke that goes, "98% of men masturbate, the other 2% are lying". Although this joke can get us a laugh or two, let's check if it's true.
According to a national survey, 78% of all Americans aged 14 and older have masturbated at some point in their life. When it comes to men in their 30s, 93.4% of them enjoy solo play. On the other hand, 80.3% of women of the same age admit to doing the same.
But no matter how often you do it, you're doing good for your body and mind. In this article, we are going to talk about the many benefits a date with Palmela Handerson has for your mental and physical health.
About Masturbation
This should go without saying, but masturbation is touching and rubbing parts of your body for sexual pleasure. Masturbation or self-pleasuring is a common practice among both genders from childhood and throughout adulthood. It can happen during a solo time, or you can do it with other people (mutual masturbation).
Masturbation is a healthy way for people to explore their sexuality and discover what feels good to them. How often people do it depends on their preference — from several times a day, week, or month, to never at all.
Furthermore, people masturbate for many reasons. Some of them include fun, pleasure, relaxing, and tension relief. All in all, masturbation is a completely personal decision, and there's no conventional way to do it.
Common Myths and Taboo Surrounding Masturbation
There are many myths about the risks of masturbation. Even though many studies have proven them wrong, they seem always to stick around, causing fear and guilt. But science has never confirmed that masturbation can cause:
- Blindness
- Impotence
- Infertility
- Erectile dysfunction
- Hairy palms
- Penis shrinkage
- Penis curvature
- Low sperm count
- Mental health issues
- Physical weakness
- Sexual perversion
There's also a common belief that if one of the partners in a relationship or marriage masturbates, it means they are not happy or satisfied. However, this is also a myth.
Most people, men and women alike, continue to masturbate even when they enter a relationship or marriage. Some even find it enjoyable to do it together. Moreover, one study found that married women who masturbated reported feeling happier in marriage than those who didn't masturbate.
Benefits of Masturbation
If you have ever fisted your mister or had a date with a detachable showerhead, you know firsthand (pun intended) how good it feels. However, have you ever thought about how good it is for your health and general well-being? In case you haven't, we've got you covered. Here are the benefits of masturbation for your sexual, physical, and mental health.
Sexual Health Benefits of Masturbation
Masturbation is available to everyone, regardless of age, gender, and relationship status. It presents a safe way to release built-up sexual tension.
Playing with yourself allows you to explore your limits and learn what brings you the most pleasure. Moreover, when you become familiar with your body, your wants, and your needs, you are one step closer to developing healthy sexuality. Healthy sexuality will give you confidence, boost your sensuality, and, in many cases, increase your orgasmic response.
Furthermore, masturbation is a great way to maintain sexual health as there's no risk of unwanted pregnancies and transmission of STDs, such as HIV.
One study also found that men and women that used a vibrator reported increased desire, arousal, and better sexual function. So, the more you masturbate, the more turned on and willing to have the sex you become.
Physical Health Benefits of Masturbation
Some of the benefits of a little self-play include:
Stronger Pelvic Muscles
Orgasm causes pelvic muscles to contract. So, just like with your gym workouts, the more you engage your pelvic muscles, the stronger they become. Masturbating is good for keeping these important muscles in shape.
Pain Relief
Masturbation releases serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin in the body. Since those are the hormones that make you feel good, they can also help you alleviate pain or at least lower your sensitivity to it. So, the next time you have a migraine or sore muscles, you know what to do.
Also, a bit of solo action can help you with your period cramps. Those hormones we've just mentioned are great at dulling the pain caused by menstrual cramping as well.
Better Sleep
Oxytocin and serotonin help you fall asleep faster and experience deeper and more restful sleep. Hence, an orgasm before bed can make you sleep better.
More Energy
On the other hand, some people experience an energy surge after masturbation. In such cases, shining your pole or pearl before bed might not be wise. So, you can use your newly found source of energy and start your day with something better than coffee (or maybe just combine the two).
Pretty Skin
Did you know that post-orgasmic glow is real? After you climax, estrogen is released into your bloodstream, which improves your skin and hair quality. So, you can reduce visits to your dermatologist's office if you visit your sex toy drawer more often.
Burning Calories
Yes, you can count your solo-play as a workout — sort of. Scientists have no idea how many calories people burn during masturbation, but they guess it's similar to what they burn during sex.
Reduced Risk of Prostate Cancer
Research shows that regular ejaculation significantly reduces the risk of prostate cancer. So, one pocket pinball a day might keep the urologist away.
Mental Health Benefits of Masturbation
Like we needed more reasons to masturbate, many mental health benefits come from whacking off.
Stress Relief
Masturbation makes you focus on your body instead of what's going on in your head. Also, remember those amazing post-orgasmic hormones? They help reduce stress by lowering your cortisol levels.
Increased Happiness
Having one off the wrist activates parts of your brain responsible for pleasure and decreases those accountable for fear and anxiety. Furthermore, increased dopamine after orgasm leads to feelings of happiness and a better mood.
Improved Cognitive Function
One study has found that people who get more orgasms score better on memory and verbal fluency tests. Therefore, masturbation could even make you smarter.o
Increased Confidence
Masturbation is essential for developing healthy sexuality, better self-awareness, and confidence. However, this confidence is not limited to the bedroom. It will spill over into other areas of your life as well.
Conclusion
No matter what euphemism you use, masturbation will do you good. From less anxiety and stress to better confidence and sleep, self-pleasuring has lots of health benefits. In the end, what's there to say other than masturbation is a powerful tool that you should not hesitate to use.