This Valentine’s Day, you could share a bottle of wine or box of chocolates with someone special. And those can be good options, since wine (both red and white) and dark chocolate have some health benefits. But don’t overlook one of the best choices of all: Good sex. It can help keep your heart healthy in more ways than one.
"A satisfying sex life can foster good emotional health, which in turn can promote good physical health," says Julia Heiman, Ph.D., director of The Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction at Indiana University.
The physical act of sex itself may have direct health benefits. For example, orgasm or any loving touch may cause your body to release substances that ease pain, bolster immunity, or elevate your mood. In addition, any form of exercise burns calories and strengthens the heart muscle. And, of course, as with all forms of physical activity, the longer and more often you do it, the better.
So if you or your partner seem to have lost that lovin’ feeling, regardless of your age, look into why it’s happening. Psychological issues, not physical ones, are the major culprits in the two most common sexual problems—
lack of desire in women and
premature ejaculation in men.
Even with largely physical problems, such as
vaginal dryness or
erectile difficulties, certain nondrug steps may be worth trying.
On the other hand, if you and your partner are keeping the spark alive, we'd love for you to share your romance secret below in our comments section.
—Sue Byrne, senior editor
Learn more about healthy sex for him and her and find out if a particular drug or disease could be hurting your sex life.
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