Better living through sex

It’s the beginning of a New Year, a beautiful time to take stock of what we’re doing to keep ourselves healthy, vital, and alive to all the juiciness we can experience.  So, I thought it would be a perfect time to offer a reminder of one of the most delicious things we can do to keep the body fit, the mind active, and life as exciting as possible.

Any guesses?

You got it!  A healthy sex life offers more than just heightened intimacy and delicious pleasure.  We are whole beings, and every aspect of our lives is connected to every other.  Sex feels good.  And it offers huge benefits for both mind and body, not to mention for our emotional and social wellbeing.  Here are just a few:

1. Sex is great for the heart

Sure, this tracks on the level of intimacy and heart-based connection, but sex itself also has great health benefits for the heart and circulatory system.  It can lower blood pressure, strengthen the heart, and may reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

2. A healthy sex life boosts the immune system

Regular sex can raise your levels of antibodies and improve your general resistance to illness.  Added to the purely physical benefits is the fact that having regular sex improves sleep and lowers stress and anxiety.  When we’re less stressed and sleeping well, our immune systems work better.

3. Sex lowers stress levels

I know this was touched upon in the last point, but it’s worth mentioning again.  Stress wreaks havoc on our bodies and minds.  Hypertension is a major contributor to heart disease.  It can lower our energy levels, make it hard to sleep, and cause headaches and migraines among countless other health challenges.  Having regular sex is one of the best ways to counter these and bring body and mind to a healthy balance.

4. Sex increases libido

That’s right!  Having regular sex increases both sexual desire and capacity.  For women, sex lubricates the vagina and increases both elasticity and blood flow.  For both men and women, a healthy sex life can help orgasms to feel better and become more intense as well as making it more possible to have multiple orgasms.  Self-pleasuring is every bit as healthy as sex with a partner.  It increases our knowledge of our own body, boosts confidence and self-image, and enhances sex between partners.

5. A healthy sex life has amazing benefits for mental and emotional health

Some of the most obvious benefits are increased confidence and happiness.  And, it may not be a surprise to hear that regular sex is a key to intimacy, trust, and love in your relationship.  The benefits go further than that, though.  Staying sexually active in your later years can increase memory and mental acuity.  Plus, it ups our emotional intelligence, increasing our capacity to perceive, identify, and express our emotions.  Revving up the juices regularly can actually make you smarter in the ways that mater most.  How about that?

Once again, these are just a few of the benefits.  The list goes on.  For men, sex can increase lifespan and lower the risk of prostate cancer.  Plus, the health and quality of sperm can actually improve with increased sexual activity.  For women, orgasms increase blood flow and strengthen the pelvic muscles.  This can improve bladder control and relieve cramps, improve fertility, and even protect against endometriosis.

A healthy sex life means a healthy mind and body.  And with that in mind, how can the New Year be an opportunity to live the healthiest and most exquisite life possible?  I’ll leave you to get creative with that one.

Love and light,

Taranga.