by Heather Tripp

Created on: January 09, 2011   Last Updated: January 10, 2011

If you are wondering what things you can do to increase your overall health, odds are you have already heard that eating healthy foods and getting exercise are key elements. However, by increasing your amount of sexual activity, you can improve your health as well.

Sex is more than just feeling good at the time. Sex has powerful effects on your body in both short term and long term ways.

Sex Improves Your Cardiovascular Health-
This is certainly one of the more enjoyable ways to keep your heart healthy. A study by scientist has shown that men who have sex two or more times a week, as compared to those who have sex less than once a month, have reduced the risk of fatal heart attacks by half.

Sex Burns Calories-
If you want to lose weight, what better way is there than to do just that by having sex? You can even get your spouse to work out and get in shape with you! Regular sex is the same as regular exercise, and just 30 minutes of sex will burn around 100 calories. If you have having sex three times a week, for a combined total of an hour and a half, you have burned 300 calories.

Sex Boost Immunity-
Your body contains a hormone called Immunoglobulin A or more simply put IgA. The function of this hormone is to protect you from colds and infections. Having sex once or twice a week, will significantly increase this hormone, allowing you to remain healthy

Sex Improves Intimacy-
This fact is a little more well-known. There is nothing more intimate than taking your clothes off and giving yourself fully to your partner and vice versa. But, few people realize it is more in depth than that. While having sex (and orgasms), the Love Hormone is released. This hormone, called Oxytocin, helps us bond with, and trust, another person. Higher oxytocin levels have also been linked with a higher feeling of generosity. If you find yourself suddenly feeling very generous to not only your spouse, but everyone else around you, odds are your levels of oxytocin are very high indeed.

Sex Helps You Sleep-
If you have ever wondered why (or how) your partner can be so active one moment, and seconds later, by snoring away, you can blame the oxytocin hormone. That's right, the very same hormone that helps us bond and trust each other, also aids in helping us get a good night's sleep.
Getting enough of a restful sleep has benefits of its own, including maintaining a healthy weight and blood pressure level.

Sex Reduces Pain-
As the hormone oxytocin increases, more and more endorphins are released.

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