Benefits of Masturbation

If you’ve flicked the bean, polished the family jewels, choked the chicken, pet the cat, humped a pillow, really enjoyed your detachable showerhead, or used a sex toy, you already know that masturbating simply feels good. But did you know it also had benefits for your overall health and well-being? Masturbation is normal and can be a healthy way to explore your preference and learn about your body. Despite the myths, there are actually no physically harmful side effects of masturbation. Even the popular myth that vibrators can desensitize you is quite the opposite. For folks who deal with sexual dysfunction, enhanced stimulation, including masturbation, can help increase sexual desire and sensitivity. In fact, one 2018 review published in the journal Sexual and Relationship Therapy reported that vibrator use may be helpful in the treatment of erectile or ejaculatory dysfunction and anorgasmia, or difficulty reaching orgasm. According to the review, vibrator use may also be associated with improvements in sexual desire and sexual function for both men and women. So basically masturbation just feels really good, and also has several health benefits. In other words, masturbation is great for your physical and emotional health. That’s why masturbating, even when you’re having partner sex regularly, is still something you should do.

The Safest Sex You Can Have

Solo sex is the safest sex act there is because ultimately masturbating cannot lead to pregnancy or any sexually transmitted diseases. If you’re in a predicament with a partner where other safer sex precautions aren’t available, mutual masturbation can be a fun, very hot way to still have a fulfilling sexual experience with each other that isn’t putting anyone’s health at risk.

Not Orgasming Means You’re Doing It Wrong

Not orgasming during solo play doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you. Usually, it just means that whatever you’re doing isn’t quite working for you. There is no “right” way to masturbate, but you might not be masturbating in a way that is right for you. Take the time to get to know your body better, experiment with vibrators, and try new sensations. Maybe backdoor, maybe grinding, maybe stronger vibration. Only you can figure out what works for you.

Learn more about your preferences

Since we aren’t taught pleasure-based anatomy in school, most people actually have no idea what types of touch their body enjoys let alone, are able to relay that information to a partner. Masturbating allows you to explore what touches, pressures, intensities, and strokes your body responds to and helps you figure out your personal preferences. Take your time and stroke, squeeze, and massage your inner and outer labia. Massage and apply pressure to your pubic mound. Tap and pinch your clitoral hood. Really explore the entire vulva and figure out where you enjoy touching and what kind of touch you enjoy. If you have a penis, go beyond just stroking your shaft. Explore the pleasure potential of your stroking, tapping, squeezing, applying pressure to your balls, perineum, anus, and head, and discovering what feels good. Once you’re more comfortable you’ll be able to communicate this info to your partner.

Strong Pelvic Floor

Think of an orgasm as just a series of muscle contractions in the pelvic floor. So if you think of it that way, orgasming is like a workout for your pelvic floor because your muscles are tensing and releasing like you would during a bicep curl. Masturbation alone won’t fix pelvic floor issues, but it’s a great way to help prevent pelvic floor weakness. These strengthening exercises are known as Kegels. The first step in doing Kegels is finding and isolating your pelvic floor muscles, which you can do by stopping your stream of pee (or pretending you’re doing that even if you’re not peeing). Feel that internal clench? Those are your pelvic floor muscles at work. There are different Kegel workouts, like squeezing and holding the muscles for five seconds, then slowly releasing, and doing 15 reps of that sequence three times over. But you can also work out your Kegels while you masturbate with toys like small, weighty Kegel balls you insert inside the vagina.

Stress Relief and Increased Happiness

Sexual pleasure helps us focus on sensation and hone in on our body’s reactions to pleasure, instead of staying in our heads where it’s easy to be focused on what’s stressing us out. If the masturbation session concludes in an orgasm, there are even more stress-relieving benefits. Orgasming releases oxytocin, which results in decreased levels of cortisol in the body. And when cortisol levels are decreased, so are feelings of stress. Orgasm can also lead to an increased concentration of neurotransmitters like dopamine and oxytocin, which have been linked time and time again to increased happiness and mood regulation. Basically masturbating activates the parts of the brain responsible for pleasure like the hypothalamus and thalamus, while also decreasing the parts of the brain responsible for fear and anxiety-like the lateral orbitofrontal cortex.

Improved Sleep

Having an orgasm before bed may even help you fall asleep faster. Since masturbation can help quiet the mind, an important ingredient for getting to sleep. Having an orgasm and releasing oxytocin can help promote sleep. But it goes beyond just getting you to fall asleep, masturbation may even help you get deep sleep. Norepinephrine and serotonin, which are released during orgasm, help your body get into your REM cycles better, which makes your rest more restful.

Pain Relief

Forget aspirin, if you have a headache, or even menstrual cramps try masturbation! masturbation can have pain-relieving benefits because orgasming releases dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin, the body’s feel-good hormones and neurotransmitters. In fact, one famous study by sexologist Beverly Whipple found that vaginal stimulation can actually increase someone’s pain tolerance threshold by over 40%.