Masturbation is a widespread sexual activity. It’s pretty standard for both men and women to masturbate. Masturbating can eliminate built-up sexual tension or stress, but it also has other benefits that you may not know about.
Masturbation is a topic that many people are uncomfortable talking about, but it’s an integral part of your sexual health. Many people recognize masturbation as a natural form of birth control and can even help prevent prostate cancer! However, many cultures worldwide consider masturbation a taboo, but this ancient sexual practice has been going on since humans have walked the earth. It feels good, which makes us happy and reduces stress levels.
What is Masturbation?
The word masturbation comes from two Latin words: mastur, which means defile oneself and touch or stir up. Self-sexual gratification has been around since the beginning of civilization, but it wasn’t until 1877 that Dr. John Harvey Kellogg wrote an article called “The Battle Axe,” where he condemned the act as self-abuse. This sparked a significant debate about whether self-sexual gratification was healthy or harmful to a person’s health. Many misconceptions surround this standard practice, so let’s break them down. First, masturbation is a normal behavior found in both men and women.
Before we explore the seven ways masturbation helps to improve your overall health, it’s essential to understand what precisely the act entails. Masturbation is defined as the self-stimulation of a person’s genitals for sexual pleasure or other forms of sexual release. It falls under a more extensive umbrella term called “self-love.” Many people confuse masturbation with sex, but they are two very different things. Sex involves another person, whereas masturbation is completely solo. Now, if a person performs masturbation on another person, then it becomes sex. The street names for masturbation are hand job and digital penetration.
The role of masturbation in society
Scientists conducted a 2011 study to identify how young adults perceived masturbation as a strategy to improve sexual health, promote relational intimacy, and reduce unwanted pregnancy, STIs, and HIV transmission. The study found that the scientific and education communities remained silent or trepidations on masturbation as a context for healthy sexual development. Relegated to the realm of commercial media, rather than rational discourse in families, schools, and the public, young people receive mixed messages about this non-reproductive sexual behavior.
To explore how young adults learned about masturbation and currently perceive self-sexual gratification, the study conducted a grounded theory study of 72 college students (56 females; 16 males) enrolled in a human sexuality class. Findings revealed that a young adult’s perceptions about and feelings toward self-sexual gratification resulted from a developmental process that included: (1) learning about the act of masturbation and how to do it, (2) learning and internalizing the social contradiction of stigma and taboo surrounding the act, and (3) coming to terms with the tension between stigma and pleasure.
Nearly all participants learned about masturbation through the media and peers (not parents or teachers). Gender was salient in coming to terms with the contradiction of stigma and pleasure. Most of the women reported either still struggling with the denial of accepting it as usual. Most of the men recognized the beneficial aspects of healthy sexual development that resulted from masturbation. Both male and female participants identified differential sexual scripts as contributing to the double standard.
This study showed that even though both men and women performed masturbation, men were more open and accepting toward the act.
How often do men perform self-sexual gratification?
According to 2009, data from the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior, as collected by FiveThirtyEight; men between the ages of 25 and 29 masturbate:
- 17% had not masturbated in the past year
- 15% masturbate a few times per year to monthly
- 25% masturbate a few times per month to weekly
- 23% masturbate 2 to 3 times per week
- 20% masturbate more than four times per week
How often do women perform self-sexual gratification?
The numbers vary, but regular masturbation among women is common:
- For example, 41% of women have masturbated in the past month (compared to 64% of men), according to a 2017 study.
- Women masturbate about eight times a month on average, according to a 2016 survey.
- In addition, 27% of women masturbate two to three times per week, and 26% masturbate once a week, according to a 2019 study.
Here are seven ways masturbation helps to improve your overall health!
1. Acts as a coping mechanism
A 2010 study found that masturbation was a coping mechanism. The study concluded that 52% of heterosexual men occasionally used self-sexual gratification to relieve stress. In addition, individuals used masturbation to reduce stress, which increased clarity, relaxation, calm and created positive feelings.
2. Prevents the transmission of STDS
Another way masturbation helps to improve your overall health is that it allows you to express your sexuality without increasing your risk of sexually transmitted diseases. It is a known fact that sexually active individuals have a greater chance of contracting a sexually transmitted disease. Self-sexual gratification allows you to experience sexual pleasure without the risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease. Many people quickly pass STDs, such as herpes, through skin contact and body fluids.
3. Protective effects against prostate cancer
The prostate gland creates the body fluid that transports semen when a man experiences an orgasm. Research supports a protective effect of ejaculation against the development of prostate cancer, especially in men between 20 and 50 years old. By keeping the prostate active, you are keeping them fit.
4. Masturbation helps a person relax after a stressful day
Sex increases neurotransmitters, like dopamine, that are associated with well-being feeling in your body. Frequently, it is related to a reduction of stress levels and a mild effect and intense relief. In the same way, self-sexual gratification helps the body regulate its arousal mechanisms.
5. Improves the quality of a person’s sleep
The cerebral cortex rests responds to orgasm. Also, other brain areas secrete chemical substances that facilitate sleep. Among the neurotransmitters released during orgasm, oxytocin and vasopressin are related to sleep and are secreted along with melatonin.
6. Masturbation Improves relationships
Although we believe that masturbation provides an obstacle to relationships, the truth is the opposite. Masturbating favors good sex in a relationship. It creates sexual autonomy and allows you the sexual freedom to express yourself without depending on your partner. Masturbation also decreases fidelity when your partner is not available. It is essential to lose taboos and recognize masturbation as a natural practice; when done as a couple, it can improve the quality, frequency, and intensity of sexual intercourse.
7. Self-sexual gratification promotes sexual self-awareness
Masturbating allows sexual self-knowledge and, with male masturbation, to know which is the “no return” point. This can help to improve ejaculatory control and exercise it. Also, the more erections there are, the more oxygenated the tissues of the penis will be, and the erectile function of the penis will be greater.
Alternate and variations of self-sexual gratification
It is important to change up masturbation and find new ways to keep it interesting like anything else. Here are some ways to spice up masturbation:
- Sex Toys
- Partner Participation
- Lubrications
- Shower or hot bath
- Mind Fantasy (largest sexual organ)
The last words on how masturbation can help improve your overall health
While many people consider masturbation a sexual taboo, almost everyone has performed it on one occasion or more. When included with foreplay and sexual intercourse, self-sexual gratification provides a person with many emotional, physical, and mental benefits. In addition, it contributes to a relationship by balancing the high sexual energy level of some partners with the low sexual energy levels of other partners. Also, like many other activities, self-sexual gratification improves the health of many hormones and organs. Finally, self-sexual gratification allows prevents and reduces stress and other negative emotions. So while it may be taboo and not talked about, people will continue to do it because the benefits are undeniable.
