National Orgasm Day: 7 reasons why having an orgasm is scientifically good for you

From curbing your appetite to boosting your testosterone, there are plenty of unexpected and surprising health benefits to orgasms. To mark National Orgasm Day, Dr Christian Jessen has a handful of reasons as to why you should be upping your quotient.
Not just for pleasure: Orgasms can help you to live healthier, happier and longer (Picture: Everett Collection / Rex Feature)
Everett Collection / Rex Feature

1. They can curb your appetite


One benefit of orgasms is that they stimulate the release of oxytocin, which is also known as the love hormone. This surge also raises levels of a substance called CCK, which helps control your appetite. Oxytocin also counteracts stress and depression by combating the harmful effects of cortisol, which is well known for its role in boosting belly fat and cravings for carbs.

2. They can boost testosterone levels


Although it may seem like you need testosterone to have a libido, it also works the other way around. Sexual function is a lot like lean muscle — if we don’t use it, we lose it, along with the hormonal benefits that come with it. Women who enjoy more orgasms have increased estrogen and testosterone. When present in the proper balance, these hormones give more sex appeal, improve mood and memory and can even prevent abdominal fat too.

3. Orgasms can help you sleep better


Oxytocin’s ability to reduce cortisol levels create an overall feeling of relaxation and even sleepiness for some. Vasopressin, another chemical associated with sleep, is also released during orgasm. The release frequently accompanies that of melatonin, which regulates our internal clock and puts us into a deeper slumber. Men are well known for rolling over and going to sleep right after sex -if that frustrates you, just join them instead!

Orgasms can help you to sleep better (picture: Getty Images)
Getty Images

4. Orgasms may relieve stress.

Again this is all due to oxytocin, and the fact that during the female orgasm the fear and anxiety centers of the brain shut down. Every little helps!

5. A man's orgasm could (maybe) make a woman less depressed.

Ok, so I admit this one is controversial but a study of college students in relationships at the State University of New York in Albany showed that women who had sex without condoms had fewer signs of depression than women who used condoms or refrained from sex, even when researchers controlled for relationship status and other personal factors. What does this mean? Semen, resulting from the male orgasm, could be an effective antidepressant for women. That said, unprotected sex is NOT something I'd recommend; STDs or unplanned pregnancy can contribute to depression, along with other medical and social risks.

Orgasms can relieve stress (picture: Getty Images)
Getty Images

6. Steady orgasms could help you live longer.

Orgasm, and sexual activity as a whole, are physical activities that can require exertion of many major bodily systems. A 1997 study in the British Medical Journal based upon 918 men age 45–59 found that after a ten-year follow-up, men who had fewer orgasms were twice as likely to die of any cause as those having two or more orgasms a week. A follow-up in 2001 found that having sex three or more times a week was associated with a 50% reduction in the risk of heart attack or stroke. But do remember correlation does not imply causation!

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7. They just get better as you age.

There's no reason to stop having sex when you get older. In fact, you are more likely to enjoy it even more as you enter old age. A study in the American Journal of Medicine found that sexual satisfaction in women increases with age. Researchers from the University of California studied 806 women living in a planned community home. The study measured the sexual activity of these women who had a median age of 67 and were all postmenopausal. The findings reported that sexually satisfaction actually increased with age, with approximately half of the women aged over 80 reporting sexual satisfaction almost always, or always.

Dr Christian Jessen is an Ann Summers official sexual health and sex toy ambassador to celebrate the launch of Moregasm toy collection, available now in-stores and annsummers.com.

Follow Dr Christian Jessen on Twitter: @DoctorChristian

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