Sex experts say self-pleasure isn’t just safe but beneficial, with studies linking it to improved mood, stronger pelvic muscles, and lower prostate cancer risk.
MASTURBATING FEELS GREAT—there’s no disputing that. Its sole purpose is to provide pleasure… what’s not to love?
But, societal stigma has made masturbation out to be something shameful and gross. That stigma dates all the way back to ancient times: Even then, physicians believed that masturbation would cause physical damage, and to this day, ridiculous myths like, “it’ll make you go blind,” persist.
Truth is, “masturbation is part of a healthy sex life,” says Gloria Brame, Ph.D., a sex therapist and certified sexologist based in Athens, Georgia. “It’s totally safe and harmless.” In fact, multiple studies show that self-pleasure has several health benefits, from lowering your risk for certain diseases to boosting your mood. (In other words, masturbation is great for your physical and emotional wellbeing.) That’s why sex experts including Brame believe masturbation should become part of your personal care routine, even when you’re having partnered sex regularly.
But just in case you needed another reason to rub one out, here’s a bunch:
10 Health Benefits of Masturbation.
1. It can help lower your prostate cancer risk.
Prostate-owners who ejaculated more than 21 times a month reduced their risk of prostate cancer by roughly 33 percent, compared to those who only did the deed four to seven times a month, according to a 2004 study. In 2016, researchers followed up with that same group from 2004 and found that those who ejaculated 8 to 12 times per month reduced their prostate cancer risk by 10 percent.
2. It makes you harder.
As you age, you naturally lose muscle tone—yup, even down there. Regular sex or masturbation works out your pelvic floor muscles to prevent erectile dysfunction and incontinence.
Masturbation “keeps the angle of your dangle perky,” Brame says. That’s because the smooth muscle of the penis needs to be enriched with oxygen, which is delivered whenever there’s a rush of blood to your member (i.e., when you get an erection). Aim for three to five times a week for rock-solid results.
3. It helps you last longer during sex.
Sometimes, penis-owners don’t last long in bed simply because they haven’t had enough practice, either with a partner or solo. If that’s you, regularly taking yourself to palm prom may help extend your sack sessions. For example, masturbating “an hour before a date will give you more control,” Brame says.
You can also train yourself during each masturbation sesh by timing how long it takes you to orgasm, says Ava Cadell, Ph.D., a clinical sexologist, AASECT-certified sex counselor, and founder of the love coaching program Loveology University. If it usually takes two minutes for you to finish solo, shoot for three next time, or count how many strokes you need to get to your happy place….