Do you know ...

Do you know ... making love actually has many hidden health benefits?

1. Sex eases headaches

Almost 50 percent of women report post-nooky migraine relief. It is believes that the release of morphine-like pain relief endorphins after sex aids to relieve or reduce migraine headaches.

2. Sex improves your immune system

Getting it on between the sheets may also help you fight off illness and disease. According to a study, people who have intercourse once or twice a week showed a 30 percent increase in the production of the antibody immunoglobulin A, IgA, your body's first line of defense against colds and flus -- compared to those who were abstinent or three or more times weekly.

There may not be a cure for the common cold, but sex may be able to keep you from catching a cold in the first place.

3. Sex reduces stress

People who have sex have lower blood pressure than those who abstain. It is believed that sexual activity creates a calming effect that lasts at least a week. Lovemaking is one form of what psychologists call 'social support'", and can provide a buffer against stress.

Even loving gestures such as a partner's hug can do wonders, too. It can lower blood pressure and heart rates in premenopausal women. Experts believe that pleasant physical touch releases oxytocin (a bonding chemical also known as the "cuddle" hormone) which decreases anxiety.


 

4. Sex keeps you fit

That's because sex uses every muscle group in the body and gives the heart and lungs an aerobic workout. Studies also show that sexual activity can contribute to overall fitness.

Your body burns about two hundred calories during a really passionate session, similar to running for fifteen minutes. And sexual activity increases testosterone production, which helps strengthen bones and muscles.

5. Sex reduces incontinence risk

Squeezing your pubococcygeus muscles -- the ones you use to stop the flow of urine -- during sex not only helps you achieve the big O, you'll also strengthen the area and help minimize the risk of incontinence later in life.

To tone your pelvic floor muscles, try doing Kegel exercises: Tighten the muscles of your pelvic floor as if you're trying to stop the flow of urine. Count to three, then release. Remember to keep breathing as you squeeze and relax.