It’s no secret that we love having orgasms. Orgasms are great. You can have clitoral orgasms, G-Spot orgasms, nipple orgasms, blended orgasm, full body orgasms and many, many more and while we’re not all 100% satisfied with the orgasms we do have, we certainly do enjoy practicing them and thankfully they get better with age.
Not that we need any encouragement, but to celebrate the importance of the orgasm, we’ve compiled the top 8 reasons why we should all have more orgasms.
1. People Who Orgasm 4 or More Times a Week Look up to 7 Years Younger
Dr. David Weeks, a British consultant clinical psychologist and former head of old age psychology at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, surveyed 3500 people and found those who had more orgasms looked younger. A vigorous sex life, Weeks says, was the second-most important determinant of how young a person looked. Only physical activity proved more important than sex in keeping aging at bay, and in our experience, certain types of sex kills two birds with one stone!
2. Orgasms Relieve both Stress & Pain
When we orgasm the hormone oxytocin is released from nerve cells in the hypothalamus (a region of the brain) into the bloodstream and this molecule, affectionately known as the “love molecule”, helps people feel warm and fuzzy and induces feelings of optimism, increased self-esteem and trust. Studies have also shown that a rise in oxytocin levels can relieve pain including from headache, cramps and overall body aches. Now, we may not always have a partner around to give us that oxytocin action while we’re in pain, but what better excuse to reach for your favorite vibrator?
3. Semen has Antidepressant Properties
A study from the State University of New York found that women who regularly have unprotected sex are less depressed. Why might that be? Well semen contains a hefty cocktail of molecules including mood-elevating estrogen and oxytocin, cortisol, melatonin, anti-depressant prolactin, thyrotropin releasing hormone and serotonin. It was unclear from the study whether you could see these same benefits through oral sex.
4. Orgasms Boost the Immune System
Finally, something we love that’s also good for us (without moderation; we’re looking at you, red wine and chocolate). According to the British Medical Journal, there’s a strong correlation between orgasms and mortality rates. Those who orgasm two times a week or more can add up to eight years on to their life. Why? Apparently it boosts the immune system, heart health and brain power. So orgasms make us not only look younger they help us to live longer too. Now where is my vibrator…?
5. Orgasms Get Better with Age
The LELO Global Survey shows only 4% of females are fully satisfied with their climax and only 31% orgasm during intercourse. But the older women get, the more satisfaction they report, with more than 75% of those over 60 claiming their satisfaction is better than ever before, and more claim to orgasm during intercourse. Whether it’s just from having more practice and knowing our bodies better, or the fact that older couples are more comfortable bringing a sex toy like the IDA™ or the NEA™ into the bedroom, we can’t be sure. Whatever the reason, finally there’s something to look forward to about getting older.
6. Men and Women’s Orgasms are More In Sync than You’d Think
Most couples tend not to orgasm together during coitus, with the vast majority of females, 69%, stating they never or rarely orgasm from intercourse alone while 75% of males do, according to the LELO global survey. It’s widely known more than two thirds of all women prefer clitoral stimulation to achieve an orgasm, but did you know that when men and women do reach climax, their orgasmic contractions both occur at 0.8 second intervals. Mind boggling!
7. You Can Train Yourself to Have a Better Orgasm
The muscles that contract during orgasm are called PC muscles, a hammock-like structure that supports your pelvic organs. Kegel exercises train this set of muscles, and offer well-known benefits such as better bladder control. However both women and men can increase the intensity and frequency of orgasms by performing regular Kegels as well!
Dr Ian Kerner, author of She Comes First says: “Your intimate muscles are like any other muscle: their power and efficiency improve with a regular work out. It doesn’t need to be a long, tiring, training regimen. You can begin right now, wherever you are: just squeeze your Kegel muscles for 10 seconds and release, then start again as many times as you want throughout the day.”
There are even training aids available like LELO Beads, made famous by 50 Shades and the new LELO Smart Bead that actually measures your orgasm potential and sets you a personal training routine.
8. Orgasms Help Tackle Insomnia
While (anecdotally) sleepiness after orgasm is more associated with men than women, it can actually similarly affect both sexes. As stated above, our brains release a cocktail of chemicals upon climax, which include oxycotin and vasopressin. These chemicals are associated with releases of melatonin, which help regulate your sleep. And, of course, orgasms soothe anxieties and better prepare you for a solid night’s rest.
Conclusion
It’s reassuring to know that our bodies seem to be encouraging us to orgasm more at every turn, whether it be during an intimate lovemaking session with our partner or solo. We should never stop exploring new ways to stimulate ourselves, or give up if we find ourselves in an orgasm slump!