According to science, you should have sex, and lots of it!

Adding a little extra spice to your bedroom can do wonders for your health and is more beneficial to your body and mind than you might think.

While it’s important to maintain an active lifestyle outside the bedroom, professors of sexual health and exercise at Curtin University in Perth say sex is vital to physical and mental wellbeing.

Whether you want clearer skin, more muscle definition, less stress or happiness, these experts say sex is the answer.

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“A regular sexual experience with our partner that is positive will facilitate a connection,” said sexual health lecturer Matt Tilley Western Australia Science Network.

When we engage in sexual contact with our partner, our brains release hormones that Tilly says “help reduce stress, and of course endorphins specifically can act as a natural antidepressant.” Oxytocin (also known as the love hormone) “can help people love and trust each other,” he says.

Here are five health benefits of sexy time in bed:

1. It works wonders for your skin

When you feel love, endorphins and serotonin are released, both of which contribute to clear skin.

Endorphins help minimize wrinkles and scars by stimulating the growth of collagen and new skin cells.

During sex, your heart rate and blood pressure increase, your body heats up, and you sweat. Sweating is great for cleaning your pores, especially if you take a nice, steamy shower afterward.

2. Improved immunity

Sex is like a booster shot. Having sex once or twice a week can trigger the release of the antibody immunoglobulin A, which is your body’s first line of defense in case of illness.

3. You train your whole body

According to Kevin Netto, head of research at the university’s Faculty of Physiotherapy and Sports Science, sex is as beneficial “as a full-body cardio workout.”

According to Netto, the average person has sex for about 17 minutes and burns between 60 and 100 calories. Unfortunately for women, it’s men who fall on the right side of that spectrum.

But for sex to be as effective as moderate cardio exercise, you have to do it long enough, says Netto, and “for most people, it’s not long enough and not often enough.”

You heard what the man said… get sex training!

4. Boosts your self-esteem

Consensual sex is the best thing you can do if you want to boost your confidence. Tilley says the release of feel-good hormones during intimacy is linked to increased self-esteem, better mood, and a calmer mind.

“These feelings are likely to increase our self-confidence and therefore our self-esteem. And more generally, they improve our mood or perhaps just help maintain our elevated mood,” says Tilley.

However, a mood-enhancing effect only occurs if the sexual experience is positive. Otherwise, says Tilley, “it becomes a real minefield of difficulties if it is fraught with emotional blackmail or betrayal, or if it involves coercion or assault.”

5. Sleep better

After sex, the relaxation hormone prolactin is released, which naturally helps you fall asleep faster. Unfortunately (again for women), men produce more sleep-inducing chemicals during ejaculation, which means they are more likely to fall asleep first. This explains a lot!

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