7 Healthy Reasons to Have Sex Right Now
Sexual HealthSexual Wellness

7 Healthy Reasons to Have Sex

7 Healthy Reasons to Have Sex
Nadia Connor iStock; Everyday Health
By
Updated on February 27, 2024
by

If you want to boost your mood, lower your stress levels, and help prevent chronic disease, there may be a way to make these changes that you haven’t considered. Sexual intercourse can improve your overall health in a number of surprising ways.

“Sex can be good for your health for many reasons,” says Amy Wetter, MD, a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist at Northside Hospital in Atlanta. “Some of these include better sleep, improved self-esteem, lower blood pressure, and pain relief.”

Don’t currently have a partner? It doesn’t matter. Masturbation can also offer health benefits, especially those related to a good orgasm. Here are seven ways your body and mind may benefit from having regular sex.

1. Improved Heart Health

Like any physical activity, healthy sex is good for your heart. One analysis of more than 17,000 young and middle-aged adults found that those who had sex fewer than 12 times a year faced the highest risk for cardiovascular disease, while those who hook up once or twice a week had lower risk for cardiovascular events or death.

For people who already have heart issues, sex may improve long-term recovery after a heart attack. Researchers compared two groups of heart attack survivors: those who lowered the frequency or stopped having sex in the first six months of their recovery, and those who returned to their normal level or increased it. The people who had more sex had a 35 percent lower risk of death over the next two decades.

If you worry if it’s safe to have sex if you have heart disease, the American Heart Association (AHA) reports that as long as the condition is stabilized, you’re likely in the clear.

 A good rule of thumb is if you can climb stairs or walk a mile without difficulty, it’s safe to have sex.

2. Pain Relief

Pain can be significantly lessened by orgasm, likely because it releases brain-chemicals known as endorphins that help diminish discomfort, along with reducing stress and improving mood.

Often referred to as the body’s natural pain killers, endorphins work similarly to opioid drugs.

 They may help reduce physical pain, both acute and chronic, as well as emotional and psychological pain, such as depression.

And if you go at it rigorously enough, there may be another way sex can help moderate pain. Exercise is one of the most studied interventions for menstrual cramps, also because of the endorphins released when you do it.

But sex doesn’t work as a pain reliever for everyone or every health condition. Research shows that people who have migraines are split between experiencing an improvement in their symptoms and worse pain after they have sex.

7 Healthy Reasons You Should Have Sex — Right Now!

Sex isn't just fun — it also comes with a range of unexpected health benefits.
7 Healthy Reasons You Should Have Sex — Right Now!

Next up video playing in 10 seconds

3. Lower Blood Pressure

While sex temporarily raises heart rate and blood pressure, it may help lower your BP after the deed is done. A small study found that having sex the night before a blood pressure reading led to lower levels of systolic blood pressure. The more pleasurable the sex, the greater the effect appeared to be.

On the flip side, if you have high blood pressure, it may impact your sexual function. There’s an established link between high blood pressure and erectile dysfunction (ED) in men, although sexual dysfunction related to BP has not been proven in women. Less blood flow can make it more difficult to get or maintain an erection. If you or your partner are experiencing ED, see your doctor to discuss your blood pressure and other risk factors for the disease.

4. Possible Reduction of Prostate Cancer Risk

While more research is needed to confirm this link, it appears that frequent ejaculation may lower your risk of prostate cancer.

A large Harvard study of nearly 30,000 U.S. men found that those who reported they ejaculated more than 21 times per month were 31 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer than those who had done so four to seven times per month.


5. Better Sleep

There’s a reason you may doze off shortly after a satisfying session — and wake up feeling refreshed.

“Sex can improve sleep by the release of hormones called oxytocin and prolactin,” Wetter says. “This combination of hormones can produce a sedative effect.”

The relationship between sex and sleep is complicated, and they are interconnected in ways both good and bad. Regular sex can have a positive effect on sleep, but sleep deprivation and sleep disorders can have a detrimental impact on libido and arousal.

6. Happier Mood and a Stronger Relationship

With all the endorphins and oxytocin circulating after a good roll in the sheets, it’s no wonder you’ve got a more positive outlook after sex. And you don’t necessarily need to have an orgasm to benefit. Some neurotransmitters still activate without an orgasm, such as through touch, kissing, and sexual talk.

Plus, your frisky play may result in a serious afterglow that can, in turn, help you bond better with your partner. According to a study that followed newlywed couples who kept a two-week sexual diary, researchers found that partners were satisfied for a full 48 hours after sexual activity. And those who were lucky enough to experience this afterglow went on to report more happiness in their relationship several months later.

7. Glowing, Younger-Looking Skin

That fabled "morning after" glow? It’s not just your imagination, Wetter says. During sex, an elevated heart rate increases blood flow to the face.

“This causes your blood vessels to dilate and that gives you the rosy look,” Wetter explains. “While this is a temporary result, the other benefits of sex such as better sleep and reduced stress is also good for your skin in the long run.”

While a boost in beauty has its appeal, sex can also have other positive impacts on the skin. Research suggests that intimate physical contact can reduce cortisol responses and (along with an oxytocin nasal spray) promote wound healing and a better frame of mind.

The Takeaway

  • Regular sexual activity is linked to multiple physical health benefits, including improved heart health, lower blood pressure, pain relief, reduced prostate cancer risk, and better sleep because of hormones like oxytocin and prolactin.
  • Sex, even without orgasm, also supports mental health and relationships by lowering stress, improving mood, boosting self-esteem, and strengthening emotional bonds.
  • Sex may contribute to healthier, more youthful-looking skin and contribute to faster wound healing.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Teng TQ et al. The Association of Sexual Frequency With Cardiovascular Diseases Incidence and All-Cause Mortality. Scientific Reports. December 30, 2024.
  2. Cohen G et al. Resumption of Sexual Activity After Acute Myocardial Infarction and Long-Term Survival. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. September 22, 2020.
  3. Sexual Activity and Heart Disease. American Heart Association. January 11, 2024.
  4. Is Sex Dangerous If You Have Heart Disease? Johns Hopkins Medicine.
  5. Lakhsassi L et al. The Influence of Sexual Arousal on Subjective Pain Intensity During a Cold Pressor Test in Women. PLoS One. October 5, 2022.
  6. Biochemistry, Endorphin. StatPearls. August 19, 2025.
  7. Kao H-T et al. Longitudinal Associations Between Beta-Endorphin, Nonsuicidal Self-Injury and Comorbid Psychopathology. Psychiatry Research. October 2024.
  8. Physical Activity and Your Menstrual Cycle. Office on Women’s Health. February 16, 2021.
  9. Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex and Migraine (But Were Afraid to Ask!). Association of Migraine Disorders. March 2, 2023.
  10. Zavorsky GS et al. Sexual Activity the Night Before Exercise Does Not Affect Various Measures of Physical Exercise Performance. Sexual Medicine. June 2019.
  11. High Blood Pressure and Sex: Overcome the Challenges. Mayo Clinic. December 10, 2024.
  12. Ejaculation Frequency and Prostate Cancer. Harvard Health Publishing. January 19, 2022.
  13. The Relationship Between Sex and Sleep. Sleep Foundation. July 16, 2025.
  14. The Benefits of a Healthy Sex Life. Oregon Health & Science University Center for Women’s Health.
  15. Meltzer AL. Quantifying the Sexual Afterglow: The Lingering Benefits of Sex and Their Implications for Pair-Bonded Relationships. Psychological Science. March 16, 2017.
  16. Schneider E et al. Intranasal Oxytocin and Physical Intimacy for Dermatological Wound Healing and Neuroendocrine Stress. JAMA Psychiatry. November 12, 2025.
Meet Our Experts
See Our Editorial PolicyMeet Our Health Expert Network
kara-leigh-smythe-bio

Kara Smythe, MD

Medical Reviewer

Kara Smythe, MD, has been working in sexual and reproductive health for over 10 years. Dr. Smythe is a board-certified fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and her interests include improving maternal health, ensuring access to contraception, and promoting sexual health.

She graduated magna cum laude from Florida International University with a bachelor's degree in biology and earned her medical degree from St. George’s University in Grenada. She completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. She worked in Maine for six years, where she had the privilege of caring for an underserved population.

Smythe is also passionate about the ways that public health policies shape individual health outcomes. She has a master’s degree in population health from University College London and recently completed a social science research methods master's degree at Cardiff University. She is currently working on her PhD in medical sociology. Her research examines people's experiences of accessing, using, and discontinuing long-acting reversible contraception.

When she’s not working, Smythe enjoys dancing, photography, and spending time with her family and her cat, Finnegan.

See full bio

Madeline R. Vann, MPH, LPC

Author

Madeline Vann, MPH, LPC, is a freelance health and medical writer located in Williamsburg, Virginia. She has been writing for over 15 years and can present complicated health topics at any reading level. Her writing has appeared in HealthDay, the Huffington Post, Costco Connection, the New Orleans Times-Picayune, the Huntsville Times, and numerous academic publications.

She received her bachelor's degree from Trinity University, and has a master of public health degree from Tulane University. Her areas of interest include diet, fitness, chronic and infectious diseases, oral health, biotechnology, cancer, positive psychology, caregiving, end-of-life issues, and the intersection between environmental health and individual health.

Outside of writing, Vann is a licensed professional counselor and specializes in treating military and first responders coping with grief, loss, trauma, and addiction/recovery. She is a trauma specialist at the Farley Center, where she provides workshops on trauma, grief, and distress tolerance coping skills. She regularly practices yoga, loves to cook, and can’t decide between a Mediterranean style diet and an Asian-fusion approach.

See full bio
See Our Editorial PolicyMeet Our Health Expert Network