Researchers the world over has been looking into the advantages of a good sex life. There are many people who believe in abstinence until the time is right and there are some people who are always waiting for the right person before they go through with it. Many different religions espouse that having sex before being married is against the laws of the religion and many people stick religiously to these proscriptions. Researchers, however, have discovered that regular, enthusiastic sex is actually quite good for both men and women on a physical as well as psychological level.

While abstinence may be good for your moral fiber, and there is nothing wrong with, physically abstaining from sex does not do anything for a person. Studies have shown that men that have sex on a regular basis actually live longer than their counterparts that do not have sex on a regular basis. A good sex life is good for a number of things as long as you remember to do so responsibly, of course.

A good sex life has been pointed out to be good for overall fitness and weight loss. An enthusiastic session can burn the same number of calories as jogging for fifteen minutes. The muscle contractions related to sex also involve a whole range of muscles and gives them a good workout. British researchers have even calculated that having sex three times a week for an entire year will burn enough calories to burn of six hamburgers. It also produces increased amounts of testosterone – the hormone that is important in building strong muscles and bones.

A good sex life can also have other beneficial health and psychological effects. Studies have indicated that couples that have regular sex are less susceptible to colds and flu. The reason? After sex the amount of immunoglobulin A, an antibody that is known to boost the immune system, in the bloodstream is increased by 30%. Sex also decreases the risk of heart disease and strokes. In a study by Queens University, it was indicated that men having sex at least three times a week reduce their risk of heart disease or strokes by half! If that is not enough, sex can even help to relieve depression in women. This is thanks to a hormone found in semen – prostaglandin – that assists in modulating the levels of female hormones.

As time goes on researchers are still investigating just how effective a good sex life is to general health. They have uncovered various other bits of information that is interesting to know. Some these include the fact that a person’s sense of smell is much increased due to regular sex and that a man that has sex on a regular basis also dramatically decreases his risk of prostate cancer. Sex also releases hormones that alleviate pain – such as back pain, period pain and even headaches. As the secrets of the human body are slowly uncovered, who knows what other benefits of good sex life researchers will uncover?