If your boyfriend or girlfriend isn't in the mood for sex, you accept that. What you can still try is convincing them of the health benefits. There are quite a few.

You can also print out this list of health benefits and hang it on the refrigerator. Then also check what it has to offer. best time is to make love.

Is sex healthy?

Is the Pope Catholic? Yes, of course sex is healthy, as long as it's consensual. But what exactly are the health benefits? We've listed them here, backed by research. Good reasons to put your phone away more often.

1. Good for your immune system

“Several studies show that sexually active people take fewer sick days,” said Professor Yvonne Kristin Fulbright of the University of Michigan. According to the Icelandic-American sexologist, people who have sex frequently have higher levels of antibodies, which protect you from germs, viruses, and other invaders. Scientists at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania confirm this in a study of college students.

Besides making love, you obviously need to do more for a good immune system: eat healthy, exercise a lot and get enough sleep.

2. Lower blood pressure

Research suggests a link between sex and lower blood pressure, writes Joseph J. Pinzone, Chief Medical Officer at HCI. “There have been many studies,” he told WebMD . “Groundbreaking research shows that mutual sexual activity (not masturbation) lowers systolic blood pressure.” This is the so-called top number, the first number on your blood pressure test.

3. Higher libido

This is a bit of a chicken-and-egg story, but more sex means a higher libido. A higher libido, in turn, increases the chance of a good sex life. Once this vicious cycle is up and running, you're in good hands. We're not making this up, we got it from Dr. Lauren Streicher. "In women, regular sex also improves lubrication, blood flow, and elasticity, which makes it feel more comfortable," says the professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University School of Medicine in her article. book.

4. Reduces the risk of prostate cancer

Having an orgasm once a day reduces the risk of prostate cancer, a study concludes from Harvard Medical School in Boston.

More studies confirm that sex may play a role in prostate cancer prevention. However, more research is needed to establish this with certainty. Previous research 2004 showed no connection. We say: if it doesn't help, it doesn't hurt.

5. Sex is good for women's bladder control

A strong pelvic floor is important for preventing incontinence, which affects about 30 percent of women later in life. During an orgasm, the pelvic floor muscles contract and are trained. Clearly.

6. Pain reliever

Looking for some paracetamol? Try an orgasm first. "Sex can block pain," says Barry R. Komisaruk, a distinguished professor at Rutgers–New Brunswick, the State University of New Jersey. During an orgasm, a hormone is released that helps increase your pain threshold.

7. Better night's sleep

Poor sleep is an underestimated health problem. One solution is sex at the most traditional time of day: before bed. "After an orgasm, the hormone prolactin is released, which is responsible for feelings of relaxation and drowsiness. Most people sleep better after intercourse," writes the award-winning psychiatrist. Sheenie Ambardar.

8. More sex means less stress

Sheenie Ambardar also links sex to reduced stress. "Sexual arousal releases a chemical in the brain that stimulates your brain's pleasure and reward systems, and another that calms you down. Sex and intimacy can also boost your self-esteem and happiness," Ambardar writes. "It's not only a recipe for a healthy life, but also for a happy, stress-free life."

9. Reduces the risk of heart attack

A good sex life is good for your heart, according to Joseph J. Pinzone, quoted earlier in this article. Sex increases your heart rate, promotes good circulation, and helps balance your estrogen and testosterone levels. "If either is low, you can develop problems like osteoporosis and even heart disease," says Pinzone.

During the day this research Men who are sexually active at least twice a week are half as likely to die from heart disease as men who rarely have sex.