Wait, an orgasm can do what for my health?
May 27 2021 | Written by Miranda Van Haarlem (She/Her)
I am not sure about anybody else but I am on sexual education TikTok at the moment and I am not complaining. That being said, the other day I came across a TikTok that stated multiple benefits to the female orgasm and I thought to myself, it’s about time we talked about female pleasure. I had a feeling that the research on female orgasms would be slim pickings due to the large orgasm inequality that takes place among sexes, but I wasn’t quite sure what I was getting myself into. Most of the articles I found regarding the benefits of the female orgasm talked about an “increase” in attractiveness or a change in physical appearance. For example, these articles would discuss how a female’s lips and breasts get fuller post-orgasm or how orgasms can keep breakouts at bay. One article even stated that the female orgasm could make men focus better. Out of curiosity I decided to look up an article on the benefits of the male orgasm. I am not exaggerating when I say my jaw hit the floor. This article discussed health benefits such as an increase in brain functioning, pain relief, decreased likelihood of prostate cancer, and stress relief.
No where was appearance or attractiveness ever mentioned throughout male centred articles, but it was pretty much the core focus throughout the female centred articles. The internet is filled with articles promising females better skin or better hair if they have frequent orgasms but males get promised longevity and an increase in overall mental and physical health. That’s some BS if you ask me and that’s when this blog article will come into the picture. Here, I am going to show us females that our orgasms can also decrease our stress, boost our immune system and give us reduced incidence of breast cancer, all while also keeping our breakouts at bay.
10 Unexpected Health Benefits of Orgasms and Sexual Activity
1. Sexual activity can decrease the risk of breast cancer.
A study conducted at the University of Adelaide in Australia suggested that sexual expression may lead to a decreased risk of breast cancer due to the increase in levels of oxytocin which is associated with orgasms in women.
Another case-control study concluded that an increase in the frequency of sexual activity corresponded with a decreased incidence of breast cancer among young nulliparous (a woman who has never given birth either by choice or for any other reason) women.
2. Sex once or twice a week can boost your immunity.
Throughout the book Feeling Good Is Good for You: How Pleasure Can Boost Your Immune System and Lengthen Your Life researchers draw on results from multiple studies to support the claim that pleasure has the ability to increase your immunity. One study in particular examined college students immunoglobulin A (IgA) levels which is essentially an antibody that helps fight off sickness. This study found that students who had sexual intercourse once or twice a week had IgA levels 30 percent higher than those who were abstinent.
3. Trouble getting to sleep? Try an orgasm!
If I had to choose between an orgasm or a melatonin I think I wouldn’t be the only one choosing the orgasm. As stated before, an orgasm causes a surge in oxytocin as well as endorphins, both that may act as sedation.
A study that included 1,866 American women found that 32% of them reported masturbating in the previous three months in order to help them fall asleep. Sounds like a plan to me.
4. Orgasms while menstruating may provide protective factors against endometriosis.
Conducted at the Yale University School of Medicine a study of 2,012 American women looked into the relationship between orgasms and the incidence of endometriosis. This study found that women who did not develop endometriosis were more likely to report having engaged in sexual behaviour and experiencing orgasms during menstruation than those women who developed endometriosis. This study concluded that sexual activity as well as orgasm while menstruating may have a protective effect against endometriosis.
5. Thinking about fertility and conception? Orgasms can help with that!
Regular and consistent orgasms have been shown to help with fertility. A study at Indiana University found that sexual activity can trigger physiological changes in the body that can increase a woman’s chances of getting pregnant, even outside the window of ovulation.
If you are looking to conceive, an orgasm might work in your favour. A study found that women who had orgasms particular after their male partners’ ejaculation retained more sperm than those who did not reach orgasm or those who had orgasmed before their partners ejaculated.
When it comes to pregnancy, one study found that women who reported having sexual intercourse involving an orgasm were more likely to carry their pregnancy to full term when compared to women who did not report engaging in sexual activity late in their pregnancy.
6. Orgasms can have an analgesic effect - meaning they may provide you with pain management.
As stated in one of our previous blogs on period sex, orgasms make the muscles of the uterus contract, releasing pressure and giving some relief. A study found that 9% of 1,900 American women reported masturbating in the previous three months for the relief of menstrual cramps. Did you know that stimulation resulting in orgasm can also produce the greatest increase in pain threshold? A smaller study of 10 women came to the conclusion that vaginal stimulation was able to result in an increase in the threshold of pain tolerance. Another study also found that self-stimulation of the clitoris had an analgesic effect, meaning it relieved pain.
Do you struggle with migraines? Research suggests that women who suffered a migraine were able to get some pain relief through orgasming. This study consisted of 83 women and over half of them reported pain relief. This study also states that while relief of migraine pain through orgasm is less reliable and less effective than drug therapies, the effects of an orgasm as an analgesic are more rapid!
7. Feeling stressed out lately?
As we move through this blog post I am starting to wonder what orgasms can not do. A study conducted in 1982 found that masturbation was associated with a decreased risk of depression among men and women.
Oxytocin, oxytocin, and oxytocin. Orgasms and sexual activity in general have been shown to reduce stress due to the surge in oxytocin. In particular one study of 2,632 American women found that 39% of those who masturbated reported doing so to relax.
8. Want to increase your quality of life?
Quality of life can be described as the degree to which an individual is healthy, comfortable, and able to participate in or enjoy life events. An American survey of both men and women concluded that personal happiness and thus quality of life can be associated with the frequency of sexual activity and orgasm, especially among women.
9. Boast that self-esteem!
Through research there has been a correlation between masturbation and self-esteem. These findings concluded that women who reported masturbating scored high on a self-esteem index when compared to women who did not report masturbating.
10. Masturbating can lead to an increase in cognition.
Research has shown that sexual activity, including masturbation is correlated with better cognition in aging adults. An article that studied 73 individuals all over 50 found that more-frequent sexual activity was associated with higher scores on cognitive tests that included verbal fluency and memory.
From helping you get to sleep to pain management all the way to boosting your immunity, orgasms can do it all. Whether it be through sexual intercourse or to trying out a new toy, orgasms can give you sexual pleasure and some added health benefits. I hope you were able to learn some fun information throughout this post and you are reassured that female pleasure is worth way more than making us more attractive or changing our appearance. For those of you unaware, May is Masturbation Month and May 28th is International Masturbation Day therefore I think it’s time to start exploring some of the benefits to female orgasms!