As the old joke goes, 95% of people masturbate, and 5% are lying.
How often does the average person really masturbate, though? According to a recent survey of more than 10 000 people in nine counties between the ages of 18 and 70, 95% of men and 81% of women admitted to having masturbated in their lifetime.
Men take the lead with an average of 15 times per month while the average woman pleasures herself eight times per month. While woman are almost twice as likely to own an adult toy, 70% of sex toy owners claim that they enhance their sexual experiences.
Contrary to popular belief, you won’t go bald, blind or grow hair on your palms. In fact, many consider masturbation a form of self-care as it has been proven to be good for both your mental and physical health.
Here are just a few of the benefits of masturbation:
Overall happiness
Orgasms release Endorphins, Serotonin and Oxytocin. These are feel-good hormones that can relieve pain and make you feel happier regardless of gender or age, just like you would after a great workout.
Confidence booster
It teaches you about your body. Many sex therapists will recommend masturbation as a form of self-discovery as it’s easier to reach orgasm without the pressure of a partner. Learning about your body and being comfortable with your own sexual preferences also builds confidence and self-esteem.
It just feels good
It leads to better sex. You can’t expect your partner to satisfy you sexually if you don’t know exactly how to do it yourself. Figuring out what you like sexually is good; sharing it with your partner is even better. As they say, practice makes perfect.
Exercises your pelvic floor
It strengthens your pelvic floor. Just like Kegel Balls, the contractions you feel during orgasm will exercise your pelvic floor muscles which could help with urinary issues like incontinence and erectile dysfunction.
Better sleep
You’ll sleep better. An orgasm just before bedtime will leave you more relaxed and puts you in a natural meditative state. Those feel-good hormones released during orgasm will also help you fall asleep faster and generally lead to deeper sleep.
Brain food
It improves concentration. Think about the last orgasm you had; odds are you weren’t thinking about that work deadline. Reaching orgasm requires you to shift any stressful thoughts you might have aside and helps you to focus on the task at hand (pun intended).
Overall heart health
It’s good for your heart. Just like exercise, masturbation gets your blood pumping and increases your breathing rate, which can lead to a lower risk of weight gain and better cardiovascular health. We’re not saying skip the gym, but it won’t hurt to add it to your exercise routine.
So how often should you masturbate?
We’ve already established that most people masturbate and that they do so for different reasons. It helps you to broaden your sexual horizons, it enables you to relax, and it relieves sexual tension when your partner might not be around, but the honest truth is that most people do it because it feels really, really good.
Whether you masturbate more than once a day, weekly, monthly or even once a decade, this is all perfectly normal and absolutely nothing to be ashamed about. In short, masturbation is natural, healthy, and it goes without saying that the safest sexual partner is yourself. After all, you know where you’ve been.