So, you aren't really in "the mood" to have sex with your partner. Well, you think you could get into the mood, but you have so much to do, need more sleep, have a busy day tomorrow...
Your partner is now "making the moves" on you, and you are trying to think and react quick: Do I go with the flow and respond with kisses, or gently tell him that you would rather take a rain check for next time.
If you are on the fence...we say GO FOR IT! Respond with some sweet kisses and see where it leads, as there are some healthy benefits to help you choose in favor of the two-person tango:
1. Haven't exercised this week? Engaging in sex can burn 85-200 calories per hour, plus results in a potentially good strength training and cardiovascular workout!
2. If you are feeling a little sad or blue this week, sex can help elevate your mood. Prostaglandin, a hormone found in semen, helps to stimulate certain female hormones for a "feel-good" effect. Having an orgasm releases endorphins, which produce a sense of well being.
3. For anyone feeling stress or tension, regular sex can offer much-needed stress relief by lowering cortisol levels in the bloodstream.
4. With cold and flu season around the corner, who needs chicken soup and Echinacea. Having sex once per week has been shown to produce thirty percent higher levels of immunoglobulin A, which boosts your immune system.
5. If you are experiencing pain, sex offers a type of pain relief. During an orgasm, levels of oxytocin surge to five times their normal level, and also release endorphins that alleviate pain. Research has also indicated sexual intercourse as a prompter to producing estrogen, and can result in a reduction of pain from PMS.
6. Women who have sex more often have higher levels of estrogen, which protects against heart disease and leads to a healthier heart.
7. Sex strengthens pelvic muscles that control flow of urine, and can help with better bladder control. Hint: doing some kegel exercises while having sex helps strengthen these same muscles, and also offers a little surprise for your male partner, too!
8. Allergy season is also upon us, and sex is a natural antihistamine. Even if you have a runny nose or are suffering miserably with allergies, you can know that having sex can be a much-needed relief!
9. Regular sex can offer protection against Alzheimer's and osteoporosis, as women who have more sex have higher levels of estrogen, a known protective factor.
10. Of course, having sex with your partner can lead to increased feelings of closeness and intimacy. Oxytocin, known appropriately as the "hormone of love", allows us to feel the urge to nurture and to bond.
Source: British Medical Journal, 1997