Humans are commonly described as sexual beings and sex is regarded as one of the basic instincts of survival. People generally have sex for pleasure, stress relief, exercise, sexual curiosity, or attraction to a person and to make a baby, among other reasons.
Experts say sex is an important part of life and overall wellbeing with psychological and emotional benefits such as reduced risk of heart disease, stress, anxiety and improved self-esteem.
Although sex isn’t the only indicator of health or happiness, the benefits of sex come from the same feeling of pleasure that can also come from listening to music, interacting with pets, and having strong religious faith.
But at some point people have got fed up with their sex lives, to the extent of going for long periods with having sex or abstaining completely. Does this have any positive or negative effect on their health? The late Chief Obafemi Awolowo was widely believed to have kept a celibate life in his last four decades of life purely for spiritual reasons according to reports.
When American singer Lady Gaga who is known for her sexually-charged performances, announced over a decade ago that she was choosing to become celibate, there was widespread surprise. Gaga said she was giving up sex to protect her creativity. Famous scientist Nikola Tesla whose pioneering work in electricity generation laid the foundation of the cutting-edge Elon Musk’s battery-powered Tesla cars, allegedly died a virgin because he did not have the “time” for sex.
Millions of people have abandoned the pleasures of sex for one reason or another, but the question remains what happens to the body when you abstain from sex for a long time or you permanently stop having sex?
There are several things that may get you off sex, so what happens when you don’t have sex for a long time? Regular sex improves the immune system so does this mean that having sex less often might result in more frequent illnesses? There may be some truth there, but no one knows for certain.
Having sex after a long break can be uncomfortable. It takes longer for the female body to become aroused and produce enough lubrication to make sex easy and comfortable. Regular sex helps keep tissues in the sex organs healthy by improving blood flow.Some people find sex to be an excellent remedy for menstrual cramps. The increase in endorphins caused by sex as well as the uterine contractions that occur with orgasm can both help alleviate cramps.
If you do not have sex on a regular basis, you might be at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
In addition to being a source of exercise, sexual intercourse helps keep your estrogen and progesterone levels in balance, which can lower your risk of heart disease.
Some people may feel more anxious and depressed if they go a long period of time without having sex. Having sex releases endorphins and oxytocin into the body which manage the effects of anxiety or stress. If you do not have sex regularly, your body may release these hormones less often, which might make it more difficult to cope with stress.
Going a long time without having sex can make you lose interest in sex altogether. Regular sex boosts libido and helps to maintain bonding and also often leads to better communication.
Many people choose to not have sex for a variety of reasons. Some people don’t enjoy it or aren’t interested. Others find it to be a distraction from the things they really care about. Although having sex can have positive effects on your health, not having sex has benefits too.
There are positive side effects of not having sex for a long time. For one, there is zero fear of pregnancy: Abstinence is the only 100 per cent absolute, most certain way to not get pregnant.
Not having sex is going to drastically reduce your chances of getting a sexually transmitted infection or a urinary tract infection.
Abstaining from sex can give you time to focus on any big emotional issues you may be dealing with. Sometimes abstaining it is necessary after an illness or medical procedure and doing so can even help to speed up the healing process.
Going without sex for a long time can be a frustrating experience if you would rather be sexually active. However, a period of abstinence can be an opportunity for personal growth and self-love.
Sexual activity has the potential to improve or maintain health on different levels but this does not mean that you have to have sex to be healthy or stay healthy. Each person has different desires and needs when it comes to sex. If you find yourself in a dry spell, take the time to get to know your own personal desires.
