The link between health, wellness, and sexuality is never more apparent than in the afterglow. And yet, if you google “scientific reasons to orgasm,” the first results are about solving the great riddle of why women have orgasms, or explain away orgasms for women as an “evolutionary leftover.” What the F@*# is that? Science seems to want to find some mystery reason for why female bodies have the capacity to orgasm and most scientists link female orgasms to penetration and vaginal sex. Well, you know better! Perhaps you are one of the 83% (or so) of women who only cums with clitoral stimulation. Or maybe you were taught to believe that your pleasure was unimportant or even wrong. Or maybe you are that woman who has tried "everything" and has never reached an orgasm or at least not one that causes fireworks and restful slumber. For you and for me and for all other women, I’d like to offer additional scientific facts for getting off. I’ll even throw in some health-boosting facts for our male-bodied friends.
1. Orgasms protect the heart. They get the blood pumping, thereby lowering the risk of death. For women, estrogen is boosted during an orgasm, which acts as a heart protector. For men, testosterone levels increase, which may make them want more sexercise. Sex counts as light-to-moderate exercise. Ergo, more sex = fewer heart attacks. Even if you have suffered from a heart attack in the past, once your healthcare provider gives you the go ahead to exercise, strip down and get it on, it’s a heart-healthy habit.
2. Blood pressure is reduced after an orgasm. However orgasm is harder to achieve after a large fatty, salty meal so watch what you eat, heartburn and humping are not a hot duo.
3. Orgasms raise levels of oxytocin (a bonding hormone) and DHEA, the hormone that produces both male and female sex hormones, the production of which also indirectly reduces stress. Unfortunately DHEA decreases after the age of 25. However DHEA can actually increase when you are turned on and again when you cum. The result is a magical anti-aging hormonal cocktail, which could also lead to a decreased risk of cancer.
4. An orgasm resulting in ejaculation, around 3x a week for men (people with prostates) can prevent prostate cancer. In another study, they found that a man must ejaculate 21 per month, around 4.84 times a week, in order to assist in the prevention of prostate cancer. Fyi, prostate massage with ejaculation can also help (stay tuned for a post all about da butt).
5. Orgasms as a cure for insomnia...maybe not, but studies show that orgasms do help people fall asleep. One study showed that in a 3 month period, 597.12 out of 1,866 American women used masturbation as a way to doze off.
6. Orgasming during menstruation can help to prevent endometriosis.
7. Orgasming during pregnancy is good for your baby. In a 2001 study of 1,853 women, those women who had sex during pregnancy, regardless of achieving orgasm, as well as those pregnant women who orgasmed without intercourse (masturbation, fingering, oral sex) had a higher likelihood of carrying their babies to term.
8. Orgasms can be pain relievers. “Honey, I have a headache, go down on me now!” Orgasms cause an endorphin rush that acts a pain reliever. In addition, after an orgasm, blood vessels tighten and this can relieve a stress headache. Orgasms can work even faster than medication when it comes to migraine relief.
9. Masturbation can increase your pain threshold. I have heard two stories where patients, both women, masturbated to deal with pain. One was in labor, and the other was recovering from surgery. When masturbation concludes in orgasm, the pain threshold is not only elevated, the pain is also prevented while the feeling remains (the opposite of an epidural). It makes one think vibrators could assist in better birth outcomes.
10. Orgasms reduce stress. Oxytocin helps to relieve tension with feelings of "warmth and relaxation.”
11. Are you an anti-vaxxer (someone who is opposed to vaccination)? Well, here comes the orgasm to the rescue again. Have two orgasms a week, and your Immunoglobulin A will rise. That’s the antibody that lives in mucus membranes and fights against the flu.
12. Sex begets sex. The more you orgasm the more you will want an orgasm, thereby increasing the benefits of reasons 1-12 above. That’s why so many parents who manage to find the time, their personal 7-minutes in heaven, think, “why don’t we do that more often?”
Don’t forget, orgasms can be a solo act, no need for a partner. You can use your hand, a sex toy or anything else that gets you going. However, no food items please, I would hate for a carrot to be fished out by a professional.
If orgasm is a struggle for you, there are online tools that you can use like OMGYES, which shows you how other women orgasm and they even have a touch tutorial you can use. Or maybe you have a partner and feel pressured to orgasm and it’s not happening. You might want to try OM (orgasmic meditation) or google “yoni massage.” The idea behind these techniques is that your partner can bring you pleasure without the expectation of orgasm. Again, don’t have a partner, but want to experiment with a second pair of hands? OneTaste has coaches for hire.
There’s some fodder to fiddle with. The second given for us, or as I like to call it #2 of My Sexual Praxis is that sexual health is integral to our overall health. Simply put, orgasms are good for your health! Universe knows, (read like “G-d knows”) we need you to be healthy, so add an orgasm to your daily schedule!
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