Studies show that are several ways sex can lead to improved wellness. From boosting your immune system, lowering blood pressure, contributing to more restful sleep, and increasing your heart rate—having sex regularly ultimately leads to a happier and healthier life. Sex also has some serious anti-aging benefits.
Take this recent study from Psychoneuroendocrinology as proof that women who have sex regularly have a longer telomere span—telomeres are caps at the end of your DNA strands that control how your cells age and protect your chromosomes. Another study done by researchers at Coventry University and Oxford University found that frequent sex can in turn boost brain power in older adults. The study proved that participants who were having sex regularly scored higher on tests.
We wanted to call on sex expert and author of Sex That Works: An Intimate Guide to Awakening Your Erotic Life, Wendy Strgar, to give us the real deal on the benefits of sex. Before understanding the benefits, Strgar believes to have the best sex you deserve, you must define the true meaning of "good sex.”
"When you’re having good sex, you’re responsible for your sexual needs and have no problem asking for them,” she says. "Your sexual desires need to be responded to in a respectful way by a partner who cares about you. There’s a ton of sex that happens when people are just trying to prove something. When you give up trying to prove something, there’s space to really feel what it’s like to be sensual with someone. Your body will then become a symphony of sensation.”
Read on for the amazing things that’ll happen when you experience good sex.
It Gives You More Energy
“Good sex gives you a free, safe, and wild energy,” Stgar explains. “You’ll explore different pleasurable ways with your partner. I’ve been married to my husband for 35 years, and I have four kids; good sex makes me feel young again.”
It Resets Your Emotional, Mental, and Physical State
Strgar defines orgasms as a system reset. “There’s a way that orgasms and deep sexual releases, whether it’s a clitoric or internal orgasm, resets your emotional, mental, and physical state unlike anything else we do,” Strgar explains. “There’s nothing else we can engage in that has the same reset capacity as sex.”
You Become More Comfortable With Your Sexuality
“You must have a foundational relationship with yourself sexually first,” explains Strgar. “Sex therapists talk about how important it is to know your own pleasure response. Then you’ll have a sex language to share with others. This could mean touching yourself through masturbation, or learning how to express the way you like to be touched and not being afraid to say those things. Your pleasure matters as much as your partner's.
“What I know for sure is that no matter what kind of relationship women are in, many times we worry too much if our partner is pleased. Women need to take the extra time to themselves to have their own pleasurable experiences. It’s so meaningful and can truly change the direction of your sex life.”
It Impacts How You Feel About Your Body
“Women who come into a sexual encounter feeling really self-conscious about their bodies are probably not experiencing as much pleasure because they’re so anxious about how they’re perceived,” explains Strgar. “When you’re anxious about whether or not someone thinks your body is beautiful, it takes away your sexual power. You can’t actually get to the peak of your pleasure point if you’re worried that you don’t look good enough. When you become more comfortable with your body, good sex can boost your body confidence to a new level.”
It Empowers You
“When you actually know what you want when it comes to sex and are able to express yourself, it makes you such a more powerful woman,” says Strgar. “You don’t need to wait for whoever you’re with to make you feel powerful and sexy in the bedroom. This ability to be bold builds your confidence in every area of your life. Women who are sexually empowered go after what they want.”
It Can Mend Your Relationship
“So many people will tell you that your sex life has an expiration date and when you live with someone for a long time you’ll lose the passion; that’s a bunch of bullshit,” says Strgar. “A lot of times we want to jump to talking out our problems, but if we’d just have sex first and then talk about it, the conversation would be way more productive.”
It Makes You Happier
“[Sex makes you happier.] But not bad sex with someone who doesn’t care about you or with a stranger you’re not comfortable to open up to; that makes you sad,” Strgar notes. “It’s also a cheap excuse to substitute our sex lives with. Sex with someone who actually laughs with you when you’re in bed, isn’t in a rush to get an orgasm, and wants to be playful with you will make you happier. Even if you don’t orgasm, it still makes you happier because you’re truly connected to someone.”
This story was originally published at an earlier date and has been updated.
Looking for an easy way to improve your sex life? Up next, find out how to rejuvenate your love life by doing almost nothing.
This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be used in the place of advice of your physician or other medical professionals. You should always consult with your doctor or healthcare provider first with any health-related questions.
