How sex can save your life

Side-step stress

Here’s how you should really be prepping for that board meeting: A study in the journal Biological Psychology found men who had had sex the previous night responded better to stressful situations. All down to the soothing effect of another person's touch, says Professor Stuart Brody, sexual psychologist from the University of Paisley. “A great deal of research has shown touch has a naturally calming effect,” says Brody. “And being touched by someone you care about significantly increases that effect.” Apart from the pleasurable sensation, researchers found touch actually reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Make it better: “Positions that maximise bodily contact, such as spooning or your partner sitting facing you on a chair, have the greatest beneficial effect on cortisol levels,” says Brody. If only stress relief was available on the NHS.

Dodge a cold

This definitely beats the flu jab. Having sex at least twice a week was found by US research at Wilkes University to boost your levels of immunoglobulin A by 20%. The antibody protects against colds and other infections.
Make it better: The study found those who had the most “vigorous” sex were even less prone to spurting the wrong kind of bodily fluids. “The key to boosting these natural anitbodies is intensity and fun, so move around and try out all sorts of positions,” says Paula Hall, therapist with Relate. “Try the ‘sexy scissors’, her lying on the edge of a bed, left leg over your right shoulder and right leg over your left, and you swing her ankles in and out to the sides to trap your penis inside her.” Doctor’s orders honey…Keep Reading »