Though by some, sex is viewed as an “addiction” of sorts, most others believe that sex is highly beneficial and necessary for happiness, a proper love life and much more. Now, is it proven that sex can benefit your health or is it possible that sex is negative for us? To answer that question, both, too much of a good thing can truly take a toll on your mental and physical health.
To further explain what sex does to emotional and physical health it must first be understood what a healthy, “normal” sex life looks like, which can range from sex once a month to sex 4-7 times a week, neither of those are healthy or unhealthy and that reason lies with the fact every single person on this planet has their own sexual preference.
A Healthy Sex Life
There truly is no direct answer as to what makes for a healthy sex life, this is due to the variety of preferences and kinks each individual has. It is stated that an average person in their 20’s has sex 2 times a week or 111 times a year, this doesn’t seem like too much, because it isn’t. In contrast having sex every single day multiple times a day may be completely unhealthy, this might signal a sex addiction and raise a few red flags.
Having a healthy amount of sex depends much on your sexual partners preference, while you may like to engage in intercourse less that once a week and more so once every two weeks, they may enjoy an every other day rendezvous. There really is no right or wrong way to create a “normal”, healthy sex life which leaves you to make the decision based on your preferences and your partner’s sexual preferences.
How Does Frequency of Sexual Activity Benefit Your Health?
A healthy sex life that satisfies both your and your partner’s preferences is a must for a healthy relationship, whether a long lasting marriage or a fling of sorts. Along with the pleasure of having frequent, healthy sex there is a plethora of health benefits, rather than sluggishness you will likely have an increase in energy.
Instead of a deep growing disinterest as well as welling depression, you will feel an increase of interest and a possible decrease in depressive emotions. Again, clinical depression is not directly caused by a lack of sex, though an increase of sexual frequency has the potential to curb depression. Studies from a university in Maryland and another in South Korea state that it is quite possible a healthy sex life could lead to improved brain functions and growth of brain cells, so whoever said you aren’t gaining anything from rolling around in the sack seems to have had it all wrong.
Another amazing benefit of frequent sex is the increase in endorphin and oxytocin production. Oxytocin is a necessary chemical produced in the brain, this chemical is known as the happy chemical and causes an increase of exuberance and mood. Endorphins are a group of chemicals released from the pituitary gland into the brain when one is orgassming, excercising, in pain or even under emotional pain. What makes endorphins so important in sex and life in general is the feelings of euphoria caused by them. Without endorphins our orgasms would probably be nowhere near as euphoric as they currently are.
Does A Lack of Sex Have Negative Effects On Your Health?
Now that we have covered what too much of a good thing can do, here is what too little can cause. Too little sex can cause an array of emotional problems as well as physical problems, ranging from a lack of chemical production in the brain to complete sluggishness. Sluggishness may not be a direct cause of your lack of sex though, every other everyday struggle/stressor should be considered when deciphering whether you are going through sexual “withdrawal”.
Some people who remain celibate for most of their lives or are not yet sexually active have no ill effects due to their lack of sex, though once they do have sex they may in fact experience negative side effects. Many people do go through their lives with no experience of any negative effects from having/not having sex making the sexual “withdrawal” some have after extended periods of having intercourse a non typical effect.
One major side effect of not partaking in sexual acts for extended periods of time can cause is an excess of stress and even an increase in irritability. Along with an increase of physical and mental stress, it is quite possible for one to become depressed, though there is a correlation between lack of sex and depression this does not mean depression is caused by lack of sex directly. In addition, a lack of oxytocin, the happy chemical, is produced as well as a lack of endorphins. This could very well explain the sluggishness, fatigue, irritability and quite possibly depression caused by lack of sex.
A Potential Drawback of Sex
When having sex it is hard not to believe that it has to be the healthiest and best thing for you, while you aren’t wrong, sex much like any other substance can be abused and can become extremely addicting. Crazy, right? The reason this stands true is due to the reward and survival system within the brain, the same one that drives hunger, essentially tells the brain of the addict that having excessive sex is healthy. This is something that not everyone will experience as not everyone is addicted to sex nor will everyone become addicted to sex.
Treatment is available to those who are struggling with sex addiction, there are also many different help hotlines for addicts needing assistance with their sex addiction. Sex addiction like any other addiction is a serious illness that requires rehabilitation and/or cognitive behavioral therapy.
