Masturbation Vs Sex: Is Masturbation Better Than Sex?
Masturbating offers many benefits: It can help you love your body, and that acceptance, in turn, can have a favourable effect on your self-image and well-being. Masturbating is also associated with lowered blood pressure, decreased pain from menstrual cramps, and reduced feelings of stress and anxiety. But as anyone who’s ever wondered whether regularly masturbating can replace a person’s desire for partnered sex might want to know with regards to the benefits of masturbating, does the limit exist? So why do people worry about the difference between sex and masturbation? Well, mostly because of the above. We are still stuck with this idea that the most important reason that people have sex isn’t to enjoy it, but to have kids. Difference Between Sex and Masturbation What is the difference between sex and masturbation? Masturbation is an individual activity that can be done without much thought or effort. The objective is to pleasure yourself, and you can achieve that however you want. On a physical level, it feels good but not great. It gets the job done. On a mental level, however, it doesn’t really feel very fulfilling. While doing it, the overwhelming majority of people think about sex or look at images of other people having sex to get off, because the physical component is only half of the puzzle to get you to orgasm. Because of that, it can make you feel lonely and unhappy afterwards. Sex is not something one can do without much thought or effort. It’s a coordinated effort between two people pleasuring each other where the objective is to both get the other person off and for them to get you off by working together. On a physical level, sex feels indefinitely better than masturbation because it’s what we’re programmed to enjoy. The feeling of another person provides way more stimulation than one’s own hands. It is also extremely pleasurable to hear moans and see that the other person is enjoying it. On a mental level, it feels great if you have a strong relationship with the person you’re having it with because it makes you feel closer together and deepens your bond. However, if that strong relationship is not there, it can make you feel lonely and unhappy afterwards just like masturbation would. Benefits of Masturbation and Sex Many people masturbate for one simple reason: it feels good. But did you know masturbation is good for you? Let’s dive into the many health benefits of masturbation and sex. Masturbation helps you understand your body and leads to better sex. Where do you want to be touched? How much pressure feels good? Fast or slow? Learning how to have orgasms by yourself makes it easier to have them with other people because you can show them what you like. And when you know more about your body and get comfortable talking about it, you can have better and healthier sex. It becomes easier to talk to your partners about pleasure, along with how to protect each other from STIs and prevent pregnancy. Masturbation and sex can reduce stress and help you sleep. Orgasms release endorphins, which are hormones that make you feel good and give you a natural high. They can make you feel relaxed, happy, and even sleepy. Many people masturbate to help them fall asleep — it’s like a sleeping pill with no side effects! Masturbation can also relieve tension and improve your mood. Masturbation can help ease period cramps and pain. Those endorphins you get from masturbating? They also help block pain and can provide some temporary relief from cramps. Some people also believe that the increase of blood flow to your genitals and the muscle contractions from orgasms may help with period pain. Masturbation can help treat certain sexual problems. If you’re struggling with a lack of desire, getting aroused, or having orgasms, masturbating can help kick-start your sex drive and increase arousal. It can also strengthen muscle tone in your pelvic and anal areas. Masturbating can also help with premature ejaculation. You can masturbate one to two hours before you have sex. This can help you last longer since it will take your body a little more time to orgasm again. You can also train yourself to last longer by edging or using the “pause and squeeze” method during masturbation. Side Effects of Masturbation and Sex Masturbation and sex are usually harmless. Some people can experience tender skin if they are too rough, but this will heal in a few days. If men masturbate daily within a short space of time, they might experience swelling of the penis which is called edema. The swelling will disappear within a couple of days. Other side effects include: Guilt Some people who worry that masturbation will conflict with their spiritual or religious beliefs can experience the feeling of guilt. Masturbation is not wrong or immoral and self-pleasure is no harm. If you discuss the feelings of guilt with your partner or with the sex specialist, can help the person to move past the feelings of guilt which they connect with masturbation. Sexual sensitivity If men do aggressive masturbation which involves a tight grip on their penis, they will experience decreased sensation. A man resolves this problem with a change in technique. Enhanced stimulation can help such as by using a vibrator, which will increase arousal in both men and women. Women who use a vibrator have shown improvement in sexual function while men experienced an improvement in erectile function. Infections Vaginal infections can occur if germs from the anus get into the vagina. Getting sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is also possible if you’re masturbating with another person and touching their genitals or sharing sex toys. STIs are spread through semen, vaginal fluids, or when genitals touch each other, so if you’re masturbating on your own, there’s almost no chance of getting an STI. The one exception is herpes, which can be spread if you touch cold sores in your mouth and then