Is Masturbation Good for You?

Ménage a moi. Jillin’ off. Flicking your bean. Double-clicking your own mouse. Paddling the pink canoe. As you might already know, there is no shortage of slang and funny euphemisms for masturbation – none of them great. The word "masturbation" is frowned upon in some social circles, yet there's an important side to it that societal values seem to have overlooked. But first, what is masturbation? Masturbation is the act of touching your genitals for sexual pleasure. As harmless as this sounds, myths abound that the act causes health problems such as hair loss, blindness and a loss of sensitivity. But there is no iota of truth in them. On the contrary, masturbation has loads of health benefits. So, what’s healthy about touching yourself? Well get ready to rub that nub… because we are going to talk about the health benefits of masturbation.

Masturbation helps to relieve stress.

Sexual acts force us to focus more on our body than our minds, where we process tasks until we're stressed up. Masturbation definitely counts as a sexual act, especially if it is capped off with an orgasm. Research has shown that orgasm releases oxytocin which reduces cortisol levels, and decreased cortisol levels will lower stress.

Masturbation helps to block pain.

Though masturbation cannot heal wounds or cure pain, it effectively reduces sensitivity to pain like headaches. An orgasm releases dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin, which are hormones that make you feel good. According to Beverly Whipple, Ph.D., solo sex for women can increase pain tolerance to over 40%.

It can strengthen your pelvic muscles.

Yes, it's true! Though Kegel exercises are the primary way to strengthen one's pelvic muscles, masturbation will achieve similar results with the bonus of a pleasurable payoff. Masturbation is a workout that strengthens the pelvic floor and can prevent prolapse, a situation where the pelvic floor muscles are weak. A weak pelvic floor causes urinary and bowel incontinence.

It relieves menstrual cramps.

What happens when you have your period is that you shed your endometrial lining. Sometimes, your uterus contracts to aid this process, which causes cramps. However, the feel-good hormones you get from masturbation can reduce pain from menstrual cramps (see Whipple’s study above). Many also find that post-orgasm relaxation helps keep further cramps at bay.

It can up your libido.

Some people believe masturbation reduces one's sex drive, but actually it is the opposite. Courtesy of the feel-good neurochemicals released during sexual acts like masturbation, we are endeared to sex even more. And if you want to up the ante, try masturbating with a partner.

It can help you sleep.

Trouble sleeping? There's a cure for it. Yeah, you guessed it – masturbation! After masturbating, you tend to feel more relaxed. In addition, the endorphins and oxytocin released during the act will help you to sleep deeply.

Masturbation reduces the risk of prostate cancer.

According to the Harvard Health Professionals study, those with prostates who ejaculated 21 times in a month lowered their risk of prostate cancer by 33% compared to men who ejaculated 4 to 7 times in a month – this may not be relevant information for those with a vagina, but good to keep in mind (and may encourage you to masturbate with a partner!)

Masturbation can improve your skin.

As it turns out, self-pleasure is healthy for your skin as well. No doubt you've heard about the post-orgasm glow. A round of orgasms will increase your body's estrogen levels and make your skin healthier. Consequently, regular masturbation will make your skin clearer.

Masturbation makes you happy.

No, it's not a fluke. Masturbation - and indulging in sexy thoughts - works with the part of your brain responsible for pleasure feeling like the hypothalamus and thalamus. It also tunes down the lateral orbitofrontal cortex, which activates feelings like fear. This works together to make you feel safe, secure, and happy.

What is Excessive Masturbation?

Excessive masturbation here is subjective, but generally, masturbation addiction is not good for your social life and relationships. How do you know you're addicted?

• Neglecting daily activities to masturbate.

• Missing work or school.

• Missing social gatherings or canceling plans often.

That said, excessive masturbation has no adverse effect on your physical health aside from a feeling of soreness that should pass after some days. Nevertheless, it can affect your mental health and make you less productive. If you have an uncontrollable urge to masturbate, you might want to pick up new hobbies and spend less time alone.

Conclusion - get intimate with yourself!

Forget the myths and misconceptions. If it were true, most of the world's population would be blind. So go ahead, take matters into your own hands.