So, this is why your waistline will thank you for having more sex

For those of you who may not know, today is World Sexual Health Day.

With that in mind, sex and relationship expert, Tracy Cox, decided to share some of the benefits a roll in the hay can have on the mind and body.

From burning the same amount of calories as 15 minutes on a treadmill (approximately 200, fact fans) to increasing your lifespan, regular sex can have an incredibly positive impact on your life.

Tracy, who has her own range of sex toys with online retailer Lovehoney, is here to enlighten us as to why we should be indulging in more sex, and frankly, we're all ears.

Let's take a look at the benefits, shall we?

1. Regular sex can make you look five to seven years younger

Sex boosts the levels of a human's anti-ageing hormone DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) – a key factor in keeping us young.

After an orgasm, levels of DHEA in the blood rise to five times the normal level.

A study found that couples in their sixties who still have regular sex look between five and seven years younger than those no longer having sex. 

2. You live longer 

Regular sex (twice a week) has been linked to an increase of 3-8 years in a person's life-span.

3. Makes men more fertile

The quality of sperm improves when men have regular sex.

In fact, tests show that sperm quality lowers through abstinence, particularly after 10 days.

 4. Protects against colds

Having sex once or twice a week raises the level of immunoglobulins (IgA) in the body, increasing protection against colds and flu.

Couples who have regular sex have 30 per cent higher levels of IgA than abstainers.

5. Sex keeps you trim

Sex can keep you fit. Quickies of 20 minutes weekly mean 7,500 calories annually, that's as much as you burn jogging 120km. A sex session can burn about 200 calories.

Ladies, this is like running 15 minutes on a treadmill – just saying, is all.

  6. Makes you more attractive

The more active your sex life is, the more attractive for the opposite sex you are.

High sexual activity makes the body release more pheromones, chemicals that attract the opposite sex

7. Sex can cure PMT for women 

Many women say they feels less pre-menstrual pain if they have intercourse before their cycle.

Muscle contraction that occurs during sexual arousal releases tension in the muscles of the uterus, which are responsible for menstrual pain.

Women who regularly have sex also have more regular periods. Sex contributes to more balanced hormone levels, including those that regulate the monthly cycle.

8. Wards off heart attacks

Studies have shown that regular sex can help prevent a heart attack.

Studies in Belfast showed that sex three times a week could halve the risk of a heart attack or stroke. A separate study found that women who had at least two orgasms a week were 30 per cent less likely to have heart disease than women who did not regularly have  sex.

While having sex, the heart rate goes from 70 beats per minute to 150, a good training for the heart. Having sex three times a week decreases the risk of heart attack by half. Also during sex, the breath is deeper, meaning  better oxygenation. 

 

9. Relief for a stuffy nose

Sex is a natural antihistamine. It can even help combat hay fever and asthma.

 10. Flattens facial wrinkles

During sex the body significantly increases the production of estrogen, a hormone that tightens the skin and smooths fine lines on the face, and it's especially useful after menopause in women.