Just in case you needed another reason to have sex – orgasms can have health benefits that reach far beyond the bedroom. The female orgasm isn’t just a source of pleasure, fun, and connection. It has the potential to improve your overall health and wellbeing too.

Orgasms release hormones that can improve sleep, pain, immune function, mood, and self-esteem, among other benefits. Keep reading to explore the most well-known ways the female orgasm can keep you going strong long after you stop coming.

Health Benefits of Female Orgasms

Pain Relief

One of the most immediate health benefits of orgasm is pain relief. When you climax, your body releases hormones, like oxytocin and prolactin. These hormones, along with endorphins, make you feel good and can help reduce pain. Brain-imaging studies have shown that a person’s pain threshold increases during orgasm too. This all makes sense when you consider the following: Both pain and pleasure activate the same areas of the brain.

Orgasm has the potential to alleviate various types of pain, including headaches, menstrual cramps, and arthritis. In one study, 60% of people with migraines reported moderate to complete pain relief following an orgasm. So, the next time you have a headache, skip the Advil and try a dose of sex instead.

Better Sleep

The same hormones that relieve pain after orgasm can promote better sleep too. Oxytocin aka the “love hormone” induces relaxation, which helps achieve orgasm, while prolactin contributes to feelings of satisfaction and sleepiness.

Taken together, this orgasm-induced combination helps many women fall asleep faster and enjoy a deeper, more restorative kind of sleep.

Enhanced Immune Function

Believe it or not, regular orgasms can boost the immune system. Most people won’t be surprised to learn that sex and orgasm increase your heart rate and blood circulation.

But sex and orgasm can improve lymphatic circulation too. This helps eliminate toxins and supports your body’s natural defense mechanisms. Orgasms also elevate levels of immunoglobulin A, an antibody that plays a big role in immune function.

Improved Heart Health

Sex and orgasms are physical activities that raise your heart rate, improve blood flow, and cause muscle contractions. And both have been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease and hypertension (high blood pressure). Moderate levels of physical activity (like walking or practicing yoga) have a major impact on brain and body health, so it’s easy to see why getting regular “sex-ercise” and having orgasms will have similar effects on your heart health too.

Reduced Stress

Anyone who’s had an orgasm already knows this: Orgasms can be a powerful stress reliever. The hormones and endorphins released during sex and orgasm bring on feelings of euphoria and relaxation. Endorphins are also responsible for how good it feels when you finish a long run or hard workout. These hormones also reduce cortisol levels, the primary stress hormone, which makes people feel calmer and more centered after orgasmic sex.

Improved Mood

The body and brain release other “happy” hormones and “feel-good” chemicals during sex and orgasm, including serotonin and dopamine, which are associated with happiness and wellbeing. Studies have found that having sex regularly can help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety and improve overall mood.

Better Self-Esteem and Body Image

Orgasms have the ability to improve a person’s self-esteem and body image. The physical and emotional connection made during sex and orgasms can lead to a greater appreciation of your body and your ability to give and receive pleasure. Paying attention to how your body responds to physical touch and how your partner responds to your parts and pleasure can enhance self-perception and confidence for a long time to come.

Increased Libido/Desire

When you orgasm, your body releases a rush of dopamine, the hormone associated with motivation, positive reinforcement, and reward. A pleasure-filled sexual experience has the ability to boost your libido and desire and, well, make you want to get “rewarded” again.

Stronger Intimate Relationships

Having an orgasm, especially with a partner, can strengthen emotional bonds and improve relationship satisfaction and stability. All honor to oxytocin, the “cuddle hormone” that surges after an orgasm and encourages closeness, intimacy, and affection and makes us more trusting, generous, and empathetic – not only toward our romantic partner, but also toward other people as well.

Pelvic Floor Health

No matter which kind of orgasm you experience - clitoral, vaginal, cervical, or blended - many different muscles in your body tense and relax as you approach the release of climax. One important group of muscles that get a workout during sex and orgasm are the pelvic floor muscles. A strong pelvic floor is essential for bladder control, sexual function, and overall reproductive and sexual health, and it can help prevent conditions like prolapse and incontinence too.

Pleasure is part of sexual healthcare

For many people, sex is one of the most pleasurable and powerful things about being human, especially if it ends with a great orgasm. Thankfully, experiencing an orgasm (whether solo or with another person) doesn’t just feel good. It delivers a slew of sexual health benefits that can be good for your overall health too. From pain relief and heart health to improved mood, better relationships, and less stress, the female orgasm can be a powerful tool in promoting overall wellness.

So often, sexual health is thought of as just preventing pregnancy and or preventing and treating disease -- which it is! But it’s also

• Pleasure (orgasms)
• Sexual wellness
• Intimacy support
• Addressing pain with sex
• the mental health components of sex and intimacy, and so much more.

Tia delivers affirming, option-based sexual healthcare services both virtually and in person that connect with your whole health — physically, mentally and emotionally. Tia's Care Team is your trusted guide to help you make independent and informed sexual healthcare decisions — with confidence.