There can be a lot of power in pleasure; so much so that there are still more people than you’d realize trying to put a limit on the freedom that comes when you come. Even though having an orgasm is both mentally and physically good for your health, society as a whole still hasn’t gotten around to praising their many benefits quite as often as they should. In fact, it’s taken centuries to debunk twisted fictions that correlated masturbating with illness, and others that suggest there is just one correct way to experience orgasm. The good news is that today’s scientists are becoming increasingly more sex-positive, with several new studies offering a range of interesting facts on the health benefits of orgasming. Here are five that you may not have been aware of.

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1. Ease Stress and Anxiety:

Giving yourself an orgasm can be one of the best ways to get rid of anxious thoughts spiraling out of control. Research carried out at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands found that during orgasm, activity in the hippocampus and amygdala, the parts of the brain responsible for alertness and anxiety, falls to significantly lower levels in women during arousal and climax when compared to a resting state.

2. Get Better Sleep:

If you’re struggling to sleep at night, then a Big-O could be exactly what you need. Falling asleep after having sex may be a cliché, but it does happen for a reason. The oxytocin released when you climax decreases the production of stress hormones which keep you awake, in addition to higher levels of endorphins, which help make your eyelids feel heavy and tired after sex.

3. Live Longer:

Yes, really – having more orgasms can actually make you live longer, according to Dr. Howard S. Friendman’s Longevity Study, which was conducted over twenty years on a total of 672 women and 856 men. Over this time, women who reported experiencing more pleasure and orgasms in their lives tended to live longer than their less sexually satisfied peers. So, investing in a vibrator sex toy could actually help to prolong your life!

4. Improve Your Partner Bond:

Having more orgasms as a result of sex with your partner can help to strengthen the bond between the two of you, which can lead to a whole host of health benefits in itself. Post-orgasm, the bonding hormone oxytocin flows through our systems, helping us to feel closer to our partners. As a result, post-sex conversations that happen as a result of oxytocin can strengthen the bond between a couple, helping to improve trust, intimacy, and communication.

5. Improve Your Looks:

Last but not least, having more orgasms can actually lead to improved looks, particularly when it comes to your complexion. Orgasms not only decrease stress and anxiety hormones, they also help to minimize inflammation in the body. As a result, your skin will look less puffy when you’re experiencing pleasure on a regular basis.

Whether you’re having fun with a partner or giving yourself some love, there’s more to orgasms than simply feeling good!