The Health Benefits of Regular Sex: What Happens When You Take a Break?

Does regular sex improve health? And does a pause in sexual activity necessarily lead to health deterioration? Olga Nevdakh, a sexologist from the Minsk City Clinical Center for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, addresses these questions and more.

Sex vs. Disease: Not So Clear-Cut

A common myth suggests that women need regular sex to prevent gynecological issues, such as congestion in the pelvic organs. However, the primary factors contributing to conditions like pelvic varicose veins are heavy physical labor, multiple pregnancies, childbirth, obesity, and genetics.

There is no scientific evidence that a lack of sexual activity is a decisive factor in the development of any diseases. That said, sexual activity has been shown to positively affect the cardiovascular and endocrine systems. It reduces the risk of heart disease and increases the production of hormones such as testosterone, estrogen, oxytocin, and serotonin.

Sex vs. Menopause: Regular Sex Delays Menopause by a Decade

Researchers from University College London have found that a regular sex life can delay menopause by up to ten years. Interestingly, having a partner is not a necessity for this benefit. The study, published in the Royal Society Open Science journal, surveyed 2,936 women aged 45 in 1996-1997.

The women reported the frequency of their sexual activities, including intercourse, oral sex, mutual caresses, and masturbation. The majority of women engaged in sexual activities or masturbation about once a week, with 64% reporting sexual activity within the past seven days.

Over the next ten years, women who engaged in sexual activities or masturbation once a week were 28% less likely to experience menopause compared to those who abstained. Women who had sex once a month were 19% less likely to experience menopause before the age of 52 than those who did not engage in sexual activities.

Sex vs. Marital Bliss: Masturbation Counts Too

Consensual sex positively impacts a woman’s psycho-emotional state. If a woman has a strong natural desire for intimate relationships, the absence of a sexual life can negatively affect her emotional well-being, thereby reducing her quality of life.

However, an orgasm achieved with a partner is not significantly different from one achieved through masturbation. Therefore, masturbation can be a viable alternative.

Regarding the correlation between sexual frequency and happiness, a 2016 study by researchers from Hong Kong, Singapore, and the USA analyzed data from over 55,000 adults in the United States, collected between 1988 and 2002. The study found that 15.2% of men and 26.3% of women had not had sex in the past year, with 8.7% of men and 17.4% of women reporting no sex in the past five years. Similar data was found in other countries, such as Japan, where 24% of married couples aged 20-59 reported no sexual activity in the past year.

The study also compared these results with responses to questions about happiness. Surprisingly, there was no correlation between sexual activity and happiness. Those who had not had intimate relationships for a long time were just as happy as those who were sexually active.

This finding contradicts popular psychology beliefs that long-term abstinence in physically healthy adults indicates emotional distress. The authors suggest that other aspects of human closeness, such as self-sufficiency, confidence, self-acceptance, life goals, and personal growth, may have a more significant impact on emotional well-being than sexual activity.

Conclusion

If a woman can manage her occasional sexual tension through masturbation or physical exercise, is seeking a meaningful relationship rather than casual encounters, and feels content being single, there is no cause for concern. Doctors would not worry about such a woman any more than they would about others.

For further reading, you can visit National Center for Biotechnology Information.