Have sex, live longer

Have sex, live longer

The good news? Regular sex improves hormone levels, heart health and brain power and revs up your immune system also.

    Everyone knows that good sex feels fabulous at any age. But what’s not as well known is that a regular roll in the hay can also add up to eight years to your life expectancy. Not only that, but the more orgasms you have, the longer you can expect to live.
AIM FOR AN ORGASM It’s not just the amount of sex you’re having that counts when it comes to adding years to your life – it’s the quality, too. One study discovered that orgasms can increase the body’s infection-fighting cells by up to 20%.
    Even more impressive is the fact that regular orgasms make men twice as likely to live into old age as those who don’t have sex and women to live up to eight years longer.
    Having an orgasm floods the body with moodboosting chemicals and promotes relaxation.
Years added: Up to eight CUDDLE UP Cuddling isn’t just an enjoyable aspect of good sex – it also helps to release the “bonding hormone” oxytocin, which has been linked to life expectancy. Babies and even animals that are deprived of this hormone, which is triggered by positive touching, often fail to thrive.
    Research has found that oxytocin can dramatically boost longevity and people in relationships are less vulnerable to chronic diseases and depression.
Years added: Seven MORE, MORE, MORE! Having sex at least once a week will keep your hormones, heart and brain in top condition. The more you have, the better the benefits. Men who have sex three or more times a week reduce their risk of heart attack or stroke by 50%.
    Feeling happy and positive about your life can also add years. Regular sex releases “feel good” endorphins at any age, and is a stress buster.
Years added: Up to two COOK UP A STORM IN THE BEDROOM To enjoy good sex, it helps if you’re in the mood – which is why brain chemicals are so important. A lack of desire, once you’ve ruled out illness, tiredness, or other issues, can be down to a reduction in one of four brain chemicals — dopamine, acetylcholine, GABA and serotonin.
    To get them up to speed again, certain herbs and spices can help. For dopamine, which enhances mood and confidence, try basil, black pepper, chillies, garlic, ginger and turmeric.
Years added: Up to ten WORK UP A SWEAT Sex provides almost all the same benefits as regular exercise, without having to hit the treadmill. It increases circulation and metabolism and burns about 30 calories for 20 minutes of reasonably active sex. That means in an hour you’ve burnt off a glass of wine or a couple of biscuits.
    And when it comes to good bone health and avoiding osteoporosis in later life, it’s good news. Middle-aged women who have weekly sex have been found to have twice the bone-protecting oestrogen levels of those who don’t.
    Keep sex fun by switching positions. If you always do it in missionary, speed up your heart rate by going on top for a change.
Years added: Up to ten PUT YOUR HEART INTO IT Cutting down on fat and giving up smoking is great for your heart, but not always fun. Sex, on the other hand, is fantastic for your heart – with none of the dull, boring bits.
    And it’s not only women who benefit in the heart stakes. A study last year by the New England Research Institute showed that having sex twice a week can reduce the risk of a heart attack by 45% – and if that’s upped to three times a week, it’s down to 50%. This is thought to be down to endorphins, which can help neutralise stress hormones.
    One study suggests that a powerful orgasm is equivalent to a shot of Valium and works immediately as a relaxant.
    Give each other a sensual massage to help stress melt away. Lots of stroking and intimate touches will soon put you in the mood for more, all the while releasing all that built-up tension.
Years added: Up to fifteen