Here are 6 things sex does to your mind and body & how Sex promotes good mental health.
Highlights:
Increases the cognitive capacity
May boost self-esteem
May help with heart health
Can alter pain perception
It requires some efforts too
Sex may help with stress
Sex promotes good mental health: How much do you know about sex? Whether you know a lot or not, there are quite a lot of interesting things sex can do to our minds and bodies that you might not know. What are these things you may ask? Well, here are 6 things sex does to your mind and body and how Sex promotes good mental health.
1. Increases the cognitive capacity
According to a study of the Personality and social psychology bulletin, simply thinking about a sexual encounter may enhance analytical thinking. The study states that it suggests that when in love, “people typically focus on a long-term perspective, which should enhance holistic thinking and thereby create thoughts. Whereas experiencing sexual encounters, focus on the present and concrete details, enhancing analytic thinking”. People tend to automatically activate these processing styles when in love or when they experience sex. Subtle or even unconscious reminders of love versus sex should suffice to change processing modes.
2. May boost self-esteem
Everyone is different, but according to psychologists, sex may aid in boosting your self-esteem. Psychologist, Ryan Anderson explained that lack of sex can lead to feelings of angst, self-doubt, and inadequacy. And there is strong evidence that feelings of self-worth and identity are strongly associated with sex. Social pressure may come into play with this. Often sex therapists and marriage counsellors agree that couples that engage in regular sex with each other have far greater self-esteem than those who do not.
3. May help with heart health
As per a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community health, frequent sex may decrease a male’s risk for a fatal heart attack. Results from the research study revealed that males who had sex two times or more a week had a lesser chance of fatal heart attack than those who had sex not quite as much. The study noted additional discovery on strokes and their connections to frequent sex, stating, “middle-aged men should be invigorating to know that frequent sexual intercourse may not result in a substantial increase in the risk of strokes and that some protection from fatal coronary events.”
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4. Can alter pain perception
What! Sex can alter your perception? Yeah.
Thanks to a part of our brain called the hypothalamus, it releases the feel-good hormone, oxytocin, also known as the love hormone during orgasm or arousal. Researchers at Rutgers University found that this release of oxytocin may help women feel less pain. This can be especially true during menstruation. Another study published in the Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine found that extremely low doses of oxytocin reduce pain sensitivity in men, lowering one’s pain threshold by 56.5%.
5. It requires some efforts too
There is a popular belief among many young people that sexual satisfaction can diminish with time and long-term relationships. But it just takes a bit of work. The research recognized that effort is required if you want to have a great sex life with your long-term partner. So, do not expect it to be wonderful every time if you do not put in some work. A healthy relationship with communication and effort can equal a healthy and happy sex life.
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6. Sex may help with stress
Looks like sex may help your grades on your university final exams!
A 2006 research study published in the journal, Biological psychology had subjects related to stressful activities. These included public speaking, or taking a difficult math quiz. Subjects who had sex before the test had lower blood pressure and lower levels of stress. This was compared to those who had no sex, who masturbated, and who had sexual contact without intercourse. The study even claims that penile-vaginal intercourse (PVI) but no other sexual behaviour is associated with better psychological and physiological function.
You may have to thank not only yourself but your partner as well if you performed well that day. So, which these surprised you the most.
