We’ve all had the dilemma… it’s already late, but you and your partner are in the mood.

You have to get up early- so early that looking at the time is making you gag, BUT… maybe you’d sleep better if you ended the night with some lovemaking. Maybe you’d feel more fulfilled the next day by staying up for some meaningful bonding. Or maybe you just flat-out want to, regardless of what zombie-like consequences come the next morning, and you’re just trying to justify getting it on with your guy versus becoming one with the pillow.

For those times when the sleep vs sex dilemma presents itself, you may have wondered, “Are there benefits to sex that equal or trump the benefits of sleep?”

If you’ve ever wondered or simply need help making these big decisions when they arise, here are some juicy tidbits that women need to know!

10 Benefits of Regular Lovemaking for Women:

1. Shut Down Anxiety

 It’s no secret that us women have a hard time shutting off all the rapidly-firing thoughts in our brains. Even when we don’t want to be having them, it can be hard to slow down and allow ourselves to relax at the end of the day.

One of the great benefits of sex for women is that it de-stresses us by first taking our mind off any anxious thoughts we’re having and then keeping our mind off of them by releasing endorphins, which are known to ward off anxiety and depression.

Another way this chemical release of endorphins helps us to de-stress and unwind is by putting us in a calm, relaxed state. One of these endorphins, prolactin, is released at orgasm, and it makes sense that this would trigger a sleepy state because prolactin is naturally shown to be at higher levels while sleeping.

This endorphin-induced state makes it easier to sleep, thus keeping out the unwanted cycle of thinking too much. “Yes, please.”

2. Semen Has Super Powers

We spend the majority of our adult lives trying to ward off unplanned pregnancies, yet semen could serve other purposes besides fertilization. Who knew?

According to Michael Castleman, author of All About Sex, contact with semen in the reproductive tract results in less depressed women than their counterparts who use condoms. According to his research, the antidepressants found in semen have a real mood-boosting effect. Perhaps the secret to a better mood is closer than you think.

3. More Regular Periods

If this isn’t already your reality, whose interest isn’t perked at this one?

Semen is shown to help trigger ovulation, which in turn helps to regulate a woman’s monthly period. In addition to antidepressant compounds, semen contains two female hormones, which are responsible for aiding egg maturation and triggering ovulation.

According to Anna Klepchukova, M.D., women who engage in regular lovemaking are seeing the benefits of the oxytocin released at orgasm, which is “necessary for regulating female hormone fluctuations, reducing stress, and managing the menstrual cycle.”

4. Helps Prevent Pregnancy Complications

If you are already pregnant or planning to be, here’s a tip for you:

Contact with semen is shown to reduce the risk of serious pregnancy conditions such as preeclampsia. A special protein found in sperm, HLA-G, is credited with increasing the chances of a successful pregnancy by better regulating the woman’s immune system.

5. Boosts Your Immune System 

Researchers at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania have found that those who engage in sexual activity a few times a week have higher levels of antibodies in their system, specifically one called immunoglobulin A, which fights infections and the common cold. The takeaway? If you want to be proactive about your health and reduce your odds of getting sick, make sure you prioritize time in your schedule for this immunity-boosting activity.

6. Reduced Risk of Endometriosis

 If you’re not familiar with endometriosis, you don’t want to be. But you do want to know how to prevent it. In a nutshell, this is a painful condition where uterine tissue grows outside the uterus. The contractions that accompany orgasms are shown to reduce the risk of endometriosis, along with shortening periods and decreasing menstrual cramping. Even and especially while on your period, sex is shown to heighten these extra perks. Great benefits at all times of the month!

7. Healthy Substitute for Cravings 

Sugar cravings can happen anytime, not just during your period.

Fortunately, the same parts of the brain that get triggered from enjoying a sweet treat are the same parts that are also lit up during the pleasure of lovemaking. SO, if you can remind yourself of your options when you’re feeling those hormonal or non-hormonal cravings for some sugary goodness, consider grabbing your man instead! I’m sure he’ll do his part to help you stay strong and be your “sweet treat” substitute.

 

8. Gives You a Youthful Glow

The “morning after glow,” as it’s sometimes called, is based on real physical changes that happen due to the release of estrogen and testosterone during sex. These hormones are responsible for keeping the body looking young, and estrogen also promotes softer skin and hair. The increased blood circulation produces a brighter complexion as well, even if only temporarily. Still, when studies such as the one conducted at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital in Scotland show that couples who make love an average of four times a week are perceived to look 7-12 years younger than their less active peers, that’s all the convincing I need to make regular intimacy a priority.

9. Increased Fertility 

It’s not just the frequency of the lovey time that increases your chances of conceiving. Science has shown that having frequent sex increases a woman’s chance of getting pregnant, even outside the fertile window. This is because the immune system responds to the activity by preparing for the possibility of pregnancy.

In other words, the environment created by the immune system boost that comes from being sexually active can make your body way more receptive to “foreign” sperm or a just-fertilized egg and not perceive them as a threat to the system.

The uterus is pretty amazing, really. Whether you’re trying to get pregnant or not, it has a system for protecting itself from anything it doesn’t recognize; and the immune system proactively responds to changes that signal that you may be trying to conceive.

10. It Counts as Exercise

Now, of course this isn’t true just for ladies, but sometimes we need all the help we can get to fit physical activity into our day. It’s not always practical to get to a gym to work out, and on the days when our personal exercise routine may not make it to the top of the list, don’t forget the alternative of spending time with your partner at the end of the day.

It’s not too late to burn some calories! In fact, even if you’re not extremely vigorous, the cardio you get from sex gives your heart the equivalent effect of jogging 4-6 miles an hour. Not bad for a bedtime activity.

Next Step:

Are you satisfied with the frequency of your current love life? If not, consider which areas of your physical health and well-being could see improvement from better prioritizing this time with your man.

Sex does not replace sleep, clearly, but the two are shown to go hand in hand. The wonderful effects of this union with your partner aid in more restful sleep, and the benefits carry into the next day and week.

In case you still need any more convincing that sex is good for you, here is one medical expert’s bottom line on regular lovemaking:

“Having sex regularly can do more than make you feel closer to your partner—it can actually make you physically healthier,” says Hilda Hutcherson, M.D.

Cheers!

~Dani