Do the nasty। Knock boots। Boff. Boink. For every silly nickname we use
for sex, there's a totally legit reason why
you should be having more
of it.
To prove our point, we've pulled together a comprehensive list of the mind-boggling benefits of hitting the sheets.
His Heart Shag
your guy's ticker into shape. According to a study at Queens University
in Belfast, men who have sex three or more times a week can cut their
risk of heart attack in half.
According to that same study, regular romps will also halve your man's chances of suffering a stroke.
Weight Loss Work off that Rice Krispies Treat without hitting the treadmill.
One 30-minute roll in the hay burns about 200 calories.
Sleep Get more z's. A little sensual massage followed by some dancing in the sheets releases sleep-inducing endorphins.
Immunity Kick
colds to the curb. Researchers at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania
found that having sex once or twice a week boosts the immune system by
30 percent.
Healthy Teeth Protect
your pearly whites by stepping up to the mic. Semen contains zinc,
calcium, and other minerals proven to fight tooth decay. (Only trace
amounts, but who's counting?)
Pee Control Watch
a Lost DVD marathon without constant bathroom breaks. Sex tones the
pelvic muscles that support your uterus, bladder, and bowel, meaning
better pee control.
Pain Relief No pain, all gain. Right after your big O, you'll be practically swimming in oxytocin (we're talking a seriously intense surge).
The overload releases endorphins, which help alleviate pain from
Regular Periods Aunt
Flow, we meet again. Endocrinologists at Columbia and Stanford
universities found that women who have sex at least once a week have
more-regular menstrual cycles than those who do it once in a blue moon.
Relaxation Curb
irritability. "Tactile stimulation soothes nerves," says Evelyn Resh,
M.P.H., certified nurse midwife and director of health services at
Canyon Ranch spa in Lenox, Massachusetts.
You'll Get More Sex Later Too Use
it or lose it. Says marriage therapist Michele Weiner Davis, author of
The Sex-Starved Wife: "The more you have sex, the more likely you'll be
to continue to produce testosterone, one of the primary hormones
responsible for sexual desire."
Stress Relief Seriously pissed? Instead of screaming your head off, save your voice and have sex. It's a great way to release tension.
Letting Go Express
some of your more risqué emotions and behaviors -- aggression,
domination--in the comfort of your own bed. (Can you say S&M?)
Confidence Feel
the power. "When things go well in the bed and you're pleasing your
partner," says San Francisco sex therapist Sandor Gardos, Ph.D.,
founder of MyPleasure.com, "you feel more confident and powerful in
other parts of your life."
Cancer Prevention Give
your guy a helping hand. According to the Journal of the American
Medical Association, the more he ejaculates, the less likely he is to
develop prostate cancer.
Happiness Sex makes you happier than having money does, according to a recent study by the National Bureau of Economic Research.
A
marriage that included regular humping was figured to bring the same
levels of happiness as earning an extra $100,000 annually.
Slow Aging Skip
the Botox. In his book, Secrets of the Superyoung, neurophysiologist
David Weeks, M.D., of Scotland's Royal Edinburgh Hospital, writes: "An
active sex life slows the aging process."
Baby Making Sex
can trigger the onset of labor when you're at term. "Semen contains
prostaglandins," Resh says. "When they're against the cervix,
prostaglandins help it dilate and induce natural labor."