Having sex is one of the most enjoyable activities we humans can do. Having sex has many health benefits, such as reducing stress.

When you come home from a stressful day at work and have a passionate evening with your partner, the tensions that have arisen throughout the day seem to disappear .

Benefits of having sex

But there are many more reasons why we should have sex. Below you can find 13 benefits of having sex. Don’t miss them!

1. Improve your immune system

Having sex has countless health benefits, and one of them is that it enhances the immune system. High levels of the hormone DHEA , known as an anti-aging chemical that the body produces itself, seems to be the key to being and staying healthy. During sex the body produces large amounts of DHEA, so the level of this chemical in the blood increases by up to 5 times its normal amount.

2. Improve your mood

In addition to the hormone DHEA, during sexual behavior the body releases a number of neurochemicals in the brain that produce pleasurable sensations and improve well-being. Since having sex activates what is known as the area or brain region of the booster , sex increases the levels of serotonin or endorphins among other neurotransmitters and, consequently, makes us feel more active and animated.

Also, American researcher Debby Herbenick found that adults who made love first thing in the morning were more optimistic about the rest of the day than those who did not have morning sex.

3. Rejuvenates

Having a good dose of sex with some frequency rejuvenates you and makes you feel and look younger. This is what a study by Dr David Weeks, a clinical psychologist at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, showed.

Their results were presented at a psychology conference and showed that people who are sexually active appear 5 to 7 years younger . However, the researcher of this study, which certainly lasted ten years, stated that it is not the quantity of sex that is important, but the quality.

4. Improves fertility

Having sex improves fertility, as studies in this line of research show that the more sex there is, the better the sperm quality. According to the data from this study, sperm quality is better when it has been less than 2 days since the last sexual encounter . Therefore, long periods without physical contact and without ejaculation cause the quality of the semen to worsen.

5. Fighting the Cold and Flu

Having sex can be the best medicine for fighting the flu and cold. Having sex once or twice a week increases levels of an antibody called Immunoglobulin A (IgA), which acts as a protector against both cold and flu, by up to 30%.

6. Extend your life

Frequent sexual practice is not only enjoyable, but helps you live longer. This is the opinion of a group of Australian researchers, who found that those people who had sex at least three times a week, suffered up to 50% less chance of dying from a disease .

7. Improve your physical condition

Sex is one of the best sports. 30 minutes of sex action burns up to 100 calories . Not only this, but the different positions you can perform help you work different muscles in your body.

8. Reduces pain

Having sex reduces pain by releasing endorphins, called natural opioids because they are produced by the body itself. Research shows that muscle and neck pain get better with sex, and women also feel less menstrual pain when they have sex.

9. Improves cardiovascular health

As if it were a sport, practicing sex is health and improves people’s cardiovascular capacity. A group of scientists who published their study in the journal Epidemiology and Community Health claim that having sex once or twice a week halves the risk of a heart attack , compared to those who only have sex once a month.

Another study, conducted in Israel, found that those who have sex twice a week are up to 30% less likely to have a heart attack.

10. Increases self-esteem

Having sex makes you feel much better about yourself and is basic for us to feel that others value and appreciate us. According to the University of Texas (United States), people who have more sex enjoy better self-esteem.

11. Improve your skin

According to research carried out by the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, sex has a positive effect on the process of skin renewal , as does aerobic work. The researchers found that vigorous sex causes the body to pump higher levels of oxygen around the body, increasing the flow of blood and nutrients to the skin. In turn, it promotes the development of new cells in the skin region, causing it to look healthier.

12. Reduces stress

One of the physical and psychological benefits of sexual practice is that it reduces stress. This beneficial effect of having sex is discussed in a publication in the journal Psychology .

The article explains that research results show that people who had had sex in the last 24 hours suffered less stress than those individuals who had not had sex. The key seems to be that touching and fondling during and after sex reduces the body’s levels of cortisol , the hormone secreted by the body in stressful situations.

13. Helps you sleep better

Sex helps us sleep better because it can make us feel more tired after sexual activity and it also stimulates the production of melatonin. The functions of this neurochemical are varied, but one of the best known is that it helps to induce deep sleep.

You can learn more about melatonin in our article: “Melatonin: the hormone that controls sleep and seasonal rhythms”