5 ways sex is good for your heart
Sex, it does the body good, in oh so many wonderful ways. From the basic pleasure it produces to the afterglow on our skin, our bodies benefit from getting some. While many of its benefits have to do with matters of the heart, it's not always love we're talking about.
Yes, as unromantic as it sounds, sex is good for cardiovascular health. So in addition to eating right and exercise, you can add doing the deed to your healthy checklist (just be careful who reads it). While you might not always be in the mood, the fact that you may be adding years to your life can serve as a pretty powerful aphrodisiac. Here are five ways sex benefits your heart:
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1. Sex Relieves Stress
We all know the toll stress can take on our ticker, but sex can stop it in its tracks. Studies have shown that people who have sex respond better in stressful situations.
2. Sex Lowers Your Blood Pressure
Several studies have shown that sex lowers blood pressure. In Brazil, the sex minister this summer touted sex as a remedy for the nation's high blood pressure problems. It is a form of exercise, after all.
3. Sex Helps You Lose Weight
Extra pounds put extra stress on the heart, so shed your clothes in an effort to shed your extra weight. Having sex burns about 150 calories every 30 minutes, so the more, the better.
4. Sex Stops Heart Attacks
A recent study showed that men who had sex at least twice a week had a 45 percent drop in the rate of heart attacks, even when factors like age, weight, and cholesterol levels were taken into account. That's a big time reason to hop into the sack -- to save your man. While women weren't included in the study, it's likely it helps us too.
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5. Sex Helps You Sleep
The oxytocin released during sex leads to better sleep. Good sleep habits have been shown to increase heart health. So hit the sack for double duty.
So just do it (safely, of course) … for your heart!
Do you consider your health when you're deciding to have sex or not?
Image via mozzercork/Flickr
Written by Julie Ryan Evans for CafeMom's blog, The Stir.
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