Can intimacy really relieve stress? What to know

Intimacy may be beneficial for managing stress levels, but when stress gets the best of you, it can make it nearly impossible to enjoy intimacy in the first place.

Here are some of the most common ways that chronic stress can show up in the bedroom:

• ED. Chronic stress disrupts blood flow and hormonal balance, both of which are necessary for achieving and maintaining an arousal.

• PE. When your anxiety is high, this can make it harder to control timing during intimacy, leading to PE.

• Lower libido. Stress reduces testosterone levels, which can decrease your intimacy drive and interest in intimate behavior.

• Performance anxiety. Stress and overthinking can create self-doubt, making it challenging to relax and enjoy intimacy when you’re in your head with performance anxiety.

• Relationship strain. Stress can lead to emotional disconnection or irritability, impacting communication and intimacy with your partner. Left unaddressed, this can drag down intimacy frequency and have damaging long-term relationship effects.

Not only can a healthy intimate relationship provide stress-relieving effects, but intimacy offers a number of other health benefits for you and your partner.

1. It Promotes Partner Bonding

Intimacy plays a key role in true partnership by supporting your emotional intimacy and trust in one another. Not only does the act of intimacy release oxytocin, but physical closeness helps create a sense of shared experience, which can deepen your affection and mutual understanding.

Overall, regular intimacy can help you feel more connected and attuned with a partner.

2. It Boosts Your Mood

Intimacy is a natural mood booster, thanks to the flood of endorphins and feel-good hormones that come rushing in to help you relax, reduce stress, and feel happier. The dynamic duo of oxytocin and endorphins contributes to a sense of contentment that helps elevate your mood.

In fact, studies have shown that a higher rate of satisfaction correlates with lower levels of depression and anxiety.

3. It Supports a Healthy Brain

In addition to endorphins and oxytocin, intimacy releases dopamine, a key neurotransmitter in your mood, focus, pleasure, and overall brain function (especially for men). While some people may joke that intimacy makes your brain shut off, it’s quite the opposite.

In fact, research shows that regular intimate activity is associated with increased mental sharpness, clarity, motivation, and even better memory.

Plus, the cortisol reduction effect of intimacy is important for reducing your risk of stress-related brain fog and cognitive decline.

4. It Helps You Sleep Better

The post-coital cuddle is about more than continued bonding time. Intimacy can tucker you right out, which isn’t a bad thing, given that many of us aren’t always getting the recommended seven to eight hours of quality rest we need at night.

When oxytocin is released, you feel more relaxed and calm. Meanwhile, endorphins help with pain relief and the easing of tension and discomfort, allowing for a moment of stress-free euphoria.

On top of that, the physical exertion required during intimacy can make it easier to fall asleep. Particularly after a “big finish,” many people experience a drop in cortisol, which helps remove mental inhibitions that may be preventing you from a deep sleep.

Another reason to make sure you’re catching enough Z’s? A chronic lack of sleep can contribute to the development of ED.

5. It’s Good for Your Heart

You’ve probably heard about lowering your saturated fat intake and moving your body more for cardiovascular wellness, but did you know that intimacy is also good for your heart?

That’s right — getting it on can be a great stress-reducer and sweat sesh, temporarily getting your heart rate up, improving your circulation, and lowering blood pressure.

Plus, the happy hormones and brain chemicals released during intimacy help reduce anxiety and stress, which are known risk factors for heart disease when left unmanaged.

One study found that older men who were reportedly having more frequent intimacy also experienced a lower risk of cardiovascular events (like stroke or heart attack) later in life.

6. It Counts as Physical Activity

While it’s not usually listed alongside playing tennis or deadlifting, intimacy counts toward your daily physical activity goals.

Think about it: Intimacy engages a variety of muscle groups, increases your heart rate, and burns calories, much like other exercises you might do at the gym or on the basketball court.

Depending on how, er, adventurous you are, movements during intimacy can help improve your flexibility and muscle tone, too. Depending on the duration and intensity, intimacy might burn up to 200 calories per hour, akin to a mild workout.

Let’s be clear: even regular intimacy isn’t a substitute for the 150-300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise that experts recommend we get for overall wellness. However, it can certainly be considered a fun form of physical activity that has its own benefits.

7. It May Reduce Your Risk of Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men, particularly older men over 50 (with risk increasing with age). In the United States, an estimated one in eight men will be diagnosed during their lifetime.

Some good news is that regular intimate activity may help reduce prostate cancer risk by promoting prostate health and function.

Some studies suggest that frequent climaxes — whether through partnered intimacy or solo time — helps flush out potentially harmful and cancer-causing substances from the prostate. Intimacy also improves blood flow to the prostate.

While the research is still ongoing, maintaining an active intimate life is thought to be one of several lifestyle factors that could contribute to lower prostate cancer risk.

Does intimacy help with stress? Yes! intimacy offers more than just pleasure in the moment — it’s a powerful stress reliever with several mental and physical benefits.

Here are some key takeaways when considering how your health influences the rest of your wellness:

• It boosts helpful hormones. Intimacy triggers the release of oxytocin and endorphins and reduces cortisol, all of which help you feel less stress and improve your mood and overall sense of well-being.

• It strengthens intimate relationships. The closeness of intimacy fosters emotional connection and bonding. This helps reduce stress and make romantic relationships stronger by cultivating a mutual sense of trust and contentness.

• It has physical health benefits. Beyond relaxation, intimacy also acts as physical activity, benefiting cardiovascular health and improving sleep quality, which is important for stress management.

Overall, while it’s not a replacement for other healthy habits and stress management techniques, intimacy is a natural, enjoyable way to alleviate stress and promote overall well-being.