SLYOU Magazine issue 4 | Page 89

Sex offers more than a feeling intimacy or pleasure — it also of offers incredible health benefits. Bes ides the emotional aspects and feel ings of well-being, it can be good for your heart, relieve pain and help you sleep restfully. It also can ease headac hes, despite common beliefs to the contrary. How sex helps your heart Researchers have found that men who had sex at least twice a week were less likely to develop heart dise ase compared to men who only had sex once per month, according to a 2010 study published in the Americ an Journal of Cardiology. Stories about men or women experiencing heart attacks mid -session are most likely due a stress or anxiety- ridden relationship. Partners in trusting relationship usually aren’t at risk unless the s re are underlying risk factors. How ever, relationships where there is a cheating partner – where an increased level of distress may be involved – cou ld put someone at risk. If you can walk up a flight of stairs briskly, you have enough card iac output to engage in sexual acti vity. In fact, if you have had heart surg ery or a heart attack, I encourage you to talk to your physician about when you can get back to regular activities, including intercourse. Natural relief from pain Sex can also be good medicin e for head pain. Despite this, you may have to push past a headache to see these benefits. With sexual activity and climax, there is a release of endorphins, whi ch are natural painkillers. Many people note less migraine headaches. The y tend to feel relaxed, at peace with a sen se of contentment. Men and women may benefit differently Sex may also help you sleep. This is especially true for men. Scientis ts believe it’s because there is a part of the brain that winds down afte r sex, releasing calming chemicals. This causes many muscle groups to relax, too. Both sexes experience climax, there’s muscle relaxation and and a natural sedation that follows. For wom en in particular, sex improves pelvic floor strength. Orgasms are associat ed with contractions of the pelvic floo r. The stronger the pelvic floor, the better. People in a loving relationship can enjoy the many health benefit s of sex, in addition to the emotional con nection and a shared feeling of well-be ing. www.slyoumag.com | February - April 2020 SL-YOU | It’s All About Business 87