Despite regularly raving about the benefits of masturbation, we're disappointed to announce that women and people with vaginas just aren't doing it as much as men — despite the fact we can enjoy one pleasurable ascent after another.
Yep, new research by Lovehoney has revealed that while 64% of men masturbate at least once a week, just 34% of women do the same. Even worse news: the ‘masturbation gap’ now sits at 56%, with the average man enjoying solo sex 127 times per year, while the average woman self-pleasures 56 times per year.
“I recommend masturbation to all the women I treat,” says licensed clinical social worker and women’s mental health expert, Kelley Kitely. “But a lot of women are embarrassed by it. My hope is that we can normalise it because it’s such a natural function. I like to think of it on the same level of importance as eating, sleeping, and brushing our teeth.” Preach.
While there's not a wealth of science on the subject yet — yes, this is a public call for more attention and investment, please — many experts believe masturbation can improve your well-being in various ways. As a bonus, “masturbation is safe, easy, and free,” says women's & functional health specialist Dr Wendie Trubow.
So, read on for a plethora of reasons why you should regularly schedule a spot of self-care into your calendar, as well as some pointers if you’re a total masturbation beginner. Oh, and product recommendations if you fancy using sex toys — AKA clit suckers, clit vibrators or G-spot vibrators — to get you dancing in the sheets.
A quick note on terminology: We understand that you don’t need organs like a uterus or vagina to be a woman. In this article, we’re using terms such as “female masturbation” to represent the act in people with vaginas by the science on the subject — but many of these benefits are in effect no matter your gender or sexual and reproductive organs.
The (many) benefits of female masturbation:
1. A stress reliever — and a welcome distraction.
Picture the most mind-blowing orgasm — or even the most incredible non-orgasmic sexual experience — you’ve ever had. Chances are it probably didn’t happen while you were fretting about a big work presentation or mentally running through your endless to-do list.
Getting to orgasm often requires putting any stressful thoughts out of your mind, and then the wave of pleasure compounds that effect. Orgasm “shifts the focus” away from anything that is stressing you out, says Kitely. While we can’t present you with a landmark piece of science backing this up (yet), just think about how stress often recedes when you throw yourself into something you really enjoy — it’s the same situation here.
Since we’d be remiss not to mention that some people have a hard time achieving orgasm and that orgasm isn’t a necessary part of a fulfilling experience, let’s be really clear: Any kind of sexual pleasure, orgasmic or not, may help take your mind off the stressful realities of day-to-day life. Even if it’s temporary, that’s still a win.
2. It's a natural mood-booster.
Here’s part two of masturbation’s stress-relieving powers: “Having an orgasm releases endorphins that can help quell stress, at least temporarily,” Trubow says.
Endorphins are neurotransmitters that can bring about positive feelings. To be transparent, there aren’t scientifically solid major studies that show a clear link between masturbation, endorphin release, and positive feelings. However, it is a generally accepted medical fact that physical activity helps to increase your endorphins, according to the Mayo Clinic. And what is masturbation if not an incredibly pleasurable form of physical activity?
“Those endorphins are like the ones you get from a great workout,” says Kitely, “so that runner’s high now becomes your orgasm high. Some people have even reported having more energy post-masturbation orgasm,” she continues.
3. It could aid a better night's sleep.
Let's quickly revisit sex education 101 and chat about the sexual response cycle and why it's one of the reasons why orgasmic release feels so great.
As you masturbate or engage in partnered sex, your body cycles through different stages that come with very real physiological changes. During the initial desire, the first phase, your heart and breathing rates start climbing, while blood flow to the clitoris increases, making it stand to attention — a bit like the male erection — and feel a little more sensitive.
Fast-forward to orgasm, and you unleash all that pent-up tension that's been building inside your muscles. Your blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing are at their highest, most frenetic rates, according to the Cleveland Clinic. That can be a rather intense process and explains why, during the post-orgasm resolution phase, you may experience some fatigue.
It’s not as if an orgasm is a fail-safe sleep aid. However, the relaxation masturbation brings with it can be a bonus if you're finding it difficult to drift off. “It’s great to do right before bed, in the bath, or during other relaxing nighttime rituals,” Kitely adds. “It naturally puts people in a meditative state.”
4. Physical exploration could help you feel more self-assured in your sexuality.
There’s some outdated — yet still pervasive — cultural stigmatisation when it comes to female masturbation and female orgasm. “This can translate into people with vaginas often feeling ashamed of their bodies and sexuality,” Kitely says. But a huge benefit of female masturbation comes down to doing away with that shame. One of the most enduring, immutable facts about human nature is that we’re sexual beings — there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.
“I believe firmly in masturbation building confidence and self-esteem for women,” Kitely says. Masturbation is one of the best ways to learn about your sexuality, as well as helping you to understand what your sexual preferences are while learning how you reach orgasm — if that’s something your body can do.
5. Cue a libido boost.
This is another benefit of female masturbation that really comes down to human nature: When you experience a little bit of something pleasurable, whether it’s a satisfying sweet treat or an orgasm, you’re probably going to want more of the good stuff. So, the more you stimulate yourself, the more you'll likely want to, Trubow explains.
But we should also flag that many people with vaginas deal with a low libido at some point. There are many potential causes, including hormonal fluctuations, tiredness, depression, drinking too much alcohol and chronic illness, reports the Mayo Clinic. “A woman who is looking to get back into being sexual is encouraged to masturbate, since it can lead to more sexual thoughts and better sexual response,” suggests Trubow.
With that said, sometimes masturbation isn’t enough to boost a low libido, so you may benefit from meeting with a medical professional to discuss potential causes and treatment.
6. Masturbation may also boost your desire for partnered sex.
This is due to the same mechanism Trubow explains above — once you feed your libido, it may intensify. For some, that will translate as a desire for more regular masturbation, while for others, it may be more (consensual) partnered sex. But it’s not just about quantity, as the quality of your sex may improve, too.
More sex in a monogamous relationship is often welcome and exciting. “The only exception is if masturbation is actually getting in the way of connecting with your partner,” Kitely says. It’s one thing if you masturbate more than you have sex with your partner, and you’re both happy with that. But, if you find that your masturbatory habits are disrupting your relationship or life in some way, seeing a sex therapist may be beneficial.
7. It can help your heart health.
To be clear, we’re not saying masturbation is enough of a workout to replace your regular spin classes. However, self-stimulation does cause a temporary increase in heart rate due to the physiological arousal associated with sexual excitement. The body releases hormones like adrenaline, which naturally elevates heart rate and blood pressure, reaching a peak during orgasm and returning to normal levels post-play.
“The power [of] this depends on how vigorously a woman is masturbating,” Trubow says. “If she can sustain her heart rate and work up a sweat, then it’s great for cardiovascular health!”
8. Regular masturbation could strengthen your pelvic floor...
It’s pretty hard to talk about the benefits of female masturbation without discussing the pelvic floor. Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles that support crucial internal organs like your bladder and uterus. Having a strong pelvic floor — aided by kegel exercises, which are essentially squeezing and lifting — can help with bladder and bowel control and sexual function. Yep, stronger muscles may translate into stronger orgasms, suggests the Cleveland Clinic.
Pelvic Floor Exercises 101:
1. Get comfortable.
2. Contract your pelvic floor muscles — AKA what you do when holding in a wee.
3. Squeeze and lift, holding the contraction for up to five seconds.
4. Release and relax for another five seconds.
5. Repeat 10 to 15 times — ideally while bingeing Netflix or scrolling.
But masturbation can also help to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles due to the involuntary contractions that occur during a climax, acting like a natural Kegel exercise.
9. … as well as your bum and inner thighs.
Self-pleasure probably won’t lead to noticeable toning of your butt and inner thighs. However, during the sexual response cycle, the muscles do tense and spasm as you reach orgasm. This could then mean that your sexual satisfaction comes with added strength.
10. Masturbation boosts blood flow to the vagina, counteracting the uncomfortable side effects of the menopause.
Menopause: the permanent end of a person's menstraul periods, marking the end of their reproductive years. This is due to a drop in hormone levels, namely estrogen and progesterone. It usually impacts women between the ages of 45 and 55; however, surgery to remove the ovaries (oophorectomy) or the uterus (hysterectomy) and cancer treatments like chemotherapy may also bring it on early.
As well as regulating your menstrual cycle, estrogen helps to promote vaginal lubrication. So when levels of this hormone begin to decline, women and people with vaginas can face vaginal atrophy — a condition that causes the vaginal walls to thin, dry out, and become inflamed, sometimes resulting in painful sex and masturbation.
There are various options to counter this, including vaginal lubricants and moisturisers. However, some find that staying sexually active can help due to the fact it temporarily increases blood flow to the vagina, helping maintain the elasticity and health of your vaginal tissue. This also prompts natural lubrication.
Trubow recommends perimenopausal and menopausal people try masturbating with internal toys such as dildos to “maintain vaginal resiliency.” She says: “[These toys] can train the vaginal muscles to expand and maintain elasticity."
11. Masturbating may help relieve menstrual cramps.
If you suffer from period cramps, you may not be in the mood to move — let alone put in the effort required for an orgasm. However, some report that a climax can help lessen the intensity of your cramps.
A quick biology refresher: a period is vaginal bleeding which occurs when the lining of the uterus, built up over the month to support a potential pregnancy, sheds. Prostaglandins are hormone-like chemicals that prompt your uterus (which is a muscle, FYI) to contract to expel that unnecessary lining — AKA cramps.
One way to counter them? Endorphins. Those feel-good neurotransmitters not only help relieve stress, but they may relieve pain, too. This can result in your cramps dwindling. But if you have period cramps that are painful enough to interrupt your life, don’t leave this one up to masturbation — see your doctor for help.
12. You can experiment with having multiple orgasms.
It's much easier for women and people with vaginas to have multiple orgasms, due to the fact we don't need a refactory period — the recovery time (anywhere between a few minutes and several days) needed by people with penises before they can reach orgasm again. This is often characterised by decreased arousal, inhibited erection, and difficulty reaching orgasm.
Going back to the sexual response cycle, once your orgasm is over, your body will, over a few minutes, return to normal functioning. Your heart rate and breathing will slow while your vagina and breasts will become less swollen due to reduced blood flow. At this point, you can go for round two or carry on with your usual daily/nightly activities.
13. Sexual activity has been associated with better brain cognition.
You might feel as though your brain and vagina are two completely separate entities, but they may be more connected than you think. Some research shows that sexual activity — masturbation included — is linked with better cognition in aging adults.
Research in 2017, later published in the The Journals of Gerontology, studied 73 people between the ages of 50 and 83 who participated in a range of sexual activities at varying frequencies. The study found that more frequent sexual activity was associated with higher scores on cognitive tests, which evaluated things like memory and verbal fluency.
This backed up findings from a similar study in 2016. This one involved 6,833 adults aged between 50 and 89, who were also asked to participate in various forms of sexual activity at varying frequencies. It was reported that sexual activity was associated with a ‘modest benefit’ in various aspects of cognitive function in older adults, specifically between sexual activity and memory recall in older women. Experts aren’t yet sure why this connection exists, but they posit that neurotransmitters like dopamine, boosted during sexual activity, may offer a protective benefit for the brain.
14. Regular masturbation may even (temporarily) strengthen your immune system.
No, regular masturbation sessions won't help you avoid a winter cold forevermore. But there is some research to suggest that sexual well-being can translate into good overall health, with one (admittedly tiny) study supporting this.
The research involved 11 male volunteers who masturbated until orgasm. They had their blood drawn while masturbating, as well as again when no sexual activity was involved. They then measured various markers of immune system activity in the blood. It found that masturbation temporarily increased the activity of some immune system components, namely leukocytes and, in particular, natural killer cells, which fight cancer tumour cells and cells infected by viruses.
Expert tips for masturbation and solo sex:
You're aware of the benefits of regular masturbation, but how do you get started? Luckily, love, intimacy, and relationship coach Chloe de Sousa has shared some quick reminders and tips for total beginners:
Choose a setting you feel comfortable in — is that bedroom, bath or shower? Also, be aware of what makes you feel most free — do you prefer the lights on or off? Do you like having a candle lit?
Don’t put yourself under pressure to orgasm — masturbating is about connecting to yourself and having pleasurable sensations, not climaxing.
Involve your whole body — stroke your hair, face, breasts, and thighs and take your time. There is no ‘too quick or too slow.’
Whether using your fingers or sex toys, be sure to use lube to limit friction and discomfort.
Remember, this is for you and no one else, so focus on what you enjoy
Original article appeared on GLAMOUR UK
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