9 Healthy Reasons To Have More Orgasms

In my practice, self-care and stress management are not luxuries, and regularly releasing hormones like oxytocin is a great way1 to help manage a hectic schedule, as this bonding hormone buffers against stress hormones like cortisol that can make you tired, old, and overweight.

Oxytocin plays a role "in a wide variety of physiological and pathological functions such as sexual activity, penile erection, ejaculation, pregnancy, uterine contraction, milk ejection, maternal behavior, social bonding, stress, and probably many more," write Navneet Magon and Sanjay Kalra in a study published in the Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism.

Knowing all those benefits, you definitely want more oxytocin in your life. Luckily, there are a bunch of ways to get it. Hugs release this bonding hormone and moms release oxytocin during childbirth and breastfeeding so they can bond with their babies. But you don’t need to get pregnant to release oxytocin. Here are nine feel-good, health-boosting benefits of regular orgasms:

Whether you’re driving or at your desk, you probably sit. A lot. Constantly sitting can lead to muscle imbalances and decreased pelvic circulation. Here's why orgasms can help: They increase pelvic floor circulation, distributing nutrients and hormones where your body needs them. I set an alarm every 30 minutes when I’m not in with patients to remember to stand up, stretch, and move my pelvis. Hula hooping, hula dancing, and belly dancing also make fun ways to get your pelvis moving.

Glowing skin after great sex isn’t just your imagination. Orgasming releases oxytocin, which reduces cortisol. In excess, cortisol can increase oil (sebum) production, which can clog pores, leading to inflammation and breakouts.

Studies show sexually active women are more likely to have normal menstrual cycles, and less-frequent sex makes menses more sporadic. Studies show that less sexually active women have shorter menstrual cycles, potentially indicating low progesterone and estrogen dominance that create weight loss resistance and symptoms like mood swings. However, the connection is unclear. Irregular cycles could be the cause of low sex drive, meaning orgasms don’t improve menstrual cycle, instead an already healthy menstrual cycle improves orgasms.

Speaking of regular cycles, orgasms can help menstrual cramps. Oxytocin and other endorphins can take away the pain, period. For Jen, more frequent orgasms meant fewer tension headaches, an observation that studies confirm: Researchers in one found regular sex can help relieve miserable headaches.

Regular sex modulates your immune system, and it makes sense considering women who have more sex shift their immune system to be conception-ready—a state that carries on throughout pregnancy. Dialing down stress also means fewer bouts of colds and flu. One meta-analysis of more than 300 studies over 30 years found what you already know: Chronic stress can also crash2 your immune system. The feel-good hormones that an orgasm releases become the perfect way to dial down that stress and boost your immune system.

One animal study showed3 a rat injected with oxytocin can remain calm even when surrounding rats are anxious. You’ve probably experienced that anti-anxiety boost after sex, and researchers find oxytocin can reduce social anxiety.

Among its benefits, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) improves4 muscle strength, bone density, body fat, sexual satisfaction, and overall well-being. Here’s the bad news: This anti-aging hormone declines in your 20s. But wait: Every orgasm (and every time you get sexually excited, for that matter) helps increase DHEA levels.

If you find yourself or your partner drifting off into a pleasant slumber right after sex, you can thank your orgasms. Oxytocin reduces5 cortisol levels, calming your mind so you can sleep better. Orgasms also release vasopressin6, which accompanies the release of your neuroprotective hormone melatonin.

I’m not exaggerating. One study among middle-aged men (Score for you guys!) found a 50 percent lower mortality rate among those with high orgasmic frequency compared with the low-orgasm group.

In my own practice, women who regularly have orgasms look better, feel better, and stay healthier. An orgasm a day could literally keep the doctor away.

Want to orgasm harder? Here's how to do the perfect Kegel exercise.