You may have heard the claim that sex burns more of calories in 15 minutes or less than doing cardio exercises for 30 minutes or more. So is sex so much better for your health? Are the health benefits of sex proportionate to the benefits that cardio exercise brings?
Sex Or Cardio?
Sex or cardio – which is better for your body? A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has once and for all drawn the line between these two activities. According to researchers and getphenq, no matter how much you end up panting between the sheets and gasping for air, sex only lasts for 6 minutes on average and burns up to 21 calories on average.
But, hey, if your sex life is far from average, is sex good for your health? There is no doubt about that. Countless studies have established the value of sex for your overall health and well-being. Below are just 5 of the most important reasons why sex is good for your health:
1. Sex gives you a natural high
Exercise and sex both do this – right? Yes, but through sex you get an extra high level of oxytocin, which is known as a binding hormone. Your brain releases oxytocin when you are around someone or rubbing against someone. Well, this is a natural high that none of your fitness equipment can give you.
2. Sex improves your immune response
Sexual intercourse raises the level of your antibody immunoglobulin A (IgA), which leads to increased resistance to infections, diseases and even colds. You will probably argue that you get the same thing through sport, and yes, you do, but during sex you get these benefits without the high levels of free radicals that you get in return during exercise.
3. Sex relieves stress
There are very few enjoyable activities that you can do that actually give you pleasure and at the same time have health benefits. If you believe that you need help to have the maximum fun you can have during sex, then look at the male enhancement supplements for you and your partner to enjoy mutual sexual pleasure. Read a Virectin review to find out how others have used these supplements.
4. Sex protects you from depression
Sex leads to happier couples. Sex not only boosts oxytocin and activates the reward pathways in the brain, but also gives couples the opportunity to explore their subconscious together. At the height of sexual arousal, it is said, body, mind and soul are at a point where absolutely nothing else matters but the arousal of the sexual act itself. This leads to an outburst of satisfaction and happiness. The journey to your subconscious is not something that you can achieve with exercise – for your own safety!
In one study that asked the question: “Does increased sexual frequency increase happiness?”, the researchers found the answer: not necessarily. In fact, in most cases the researchers reported that the more often couples engaged in sex, the less they looked forward to it and the less they enjoyed it. However, the researchers also postulated that the case might be different if couples were torn away from their familiar environment and daily routine instead of simply having sex more often.
5. Sex improves your heart health
In one study, quality of sex was associated with improved cardiovascular health in women. However, the researchers surprisingly found that this did not affect the heart health of men, who were observed to be at higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease later in life the more often they had sex. However, the researchers found that this discrepancy could be due to the association of some form of sexual addiction leading to heart disease.
To Cardio Or Not To Cardio:
Is cardio good for you? Cardiovascular exercises are always beneficial for your body. It gives you that long-lasting boost that you simply cannot derive from intercourse between the sheets. This can of course be accompanied by creative cardio exercises – sex with exercise maybe?
If you are able to do that, how about trying these tips next time you can seduce your partner to have sex with you?
1.Your top goal is to prolong your release
It’s very simple: the longer you both have active sex, the more calories you can both burn. One way you can achieve this is by exchanging sexual intercourse and foreplay. You should also experiment with different sexual positions to avoid overstimulating each other too early.
2. Try combining it with yoga poses
According to various sources, practicing yoga alone burns between 120 and 200 calories per hour, depending on body weight. If you have trained, you know how your muscles eventually adapt too well to your exercises, and the same goes for sex. If you have already done many missionary positions, it can’t hurt to try something else to make your sexual practice more difficult. Shifting positions and adding yoga positions will make your muscles work harder. The more muscles contract, the more calories you burn.
3. Combine intense cardio and sex
You can do both at the same time if you can handle the intensity, but these two do not always have to be done together. You can train to improve your sex life. To get maximum benefit, do intensive cardio training.
What is intensive cardio exercise anyway? First of all, cardiovascular exercise is designed to pump more blood and oxygen into your system. It is intentionally designed to make you gasp for air. Second, there are cardiovascular exercises of different intensities. Intensive cardiovascular exercise means pushing your body to the limit. You have to make sure that you are fit and healthy to do intensive cardiovascular training.
Conclusion
The benefits for sexual health and the benefits for cardiovascular health run parallel. If you do well in one, you will actually do better in the other. The calorie burning might not be the same, but both have health effects that benefit both your physical health and your psychological well-being. Combining the two? You have nothing to lose.
Author Bio: Nicole Beams is a postgraduate in English literature and health researcher. She has over a decade of experience in research and writing as a profession and a passion. She is also a health blogger who loves to write articles on health-related topics in the power of self-motivation. I think she is a person who is perceived by others as a person perceives themselves. And she likes to write feedback on various health-related products.
