Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWith YourselfWith a PartnerHow to Have an OrgasmGet Benefits Without Orgasm
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
With Yourself
With a Partner
How to Have an Orgasm
Get Benefits Without Orgasm
Orgasms offer more than just pleasure. They are scientifically proven to improve physical, emotional, and psychological health.
From reducing stress to boosting immune function, improving sleep, and relieving pain, orgasms—with yourself or a partner—benefit the body and mind.
Larisa Stefanuyk / Getty Images
Benefits of Orgasms With Yourself
1. Stress Relief and Relaxation
Masturbation is an excellent way to relieve stress and relax. Orgasms trigger the release ofendorphins, feel-good neurotransmitters that act as natural stress relievers.After reaching climax, stress hormone levels—including cortisol and adrenaline—decrease, helping relax your body and mind. Achieving orgasm can be especially helpful when winding down after a long, stressful day.
2. Better Sleep
Having an orgasm before bedtime may help you fall asleep faster and improve sleep quality.The body releases oxytocin and prolactin after orgasm. These hormones promote relaxation and drowsiness, setting the stage for a good night’s rest.
3. Pain Relief
Whether you’re dealing withmenstrual cramps, muscle tension, or low-back pain, masturbation may provide temporary pain relief. Endorphins released after orgasm have analgesic (pain-relieving) effects and may reduce pain.
Masturbation offers some advantages over partnered sex when you’re in pain. Self-pleasure allows you to focus on your comfort without the additional pressure of meeting your partner’s needs. It also allows you to control the pace and intensity of stimulation so you can enjoy the benefits of orgasm without aggravating your pain.
4. Manage Sexual Problems
Engaging in self-pleasure may help improve sexual function and satisfaction if you’re experiencing difficulties withsexual desire, arousal, or achieving orgasm. Masturbation is an opportunity to learn what feels good for your body, which can help you communicate your preferences during sex with a partner.
Masturbation can also help managepremature ejaculation. Masturbating an hour or two before sexual activity with a partner can help prolong your sexual stamina, as it may take longer for your body to reach orgasm again.
5. Boost Mood
Self-pleasure can be a quick and effective way to improve your mood when feeling down or stressed. Orgasms increasedopaminelevels—a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure, reward, and motivation—helping counteract irritability, sadness, or melancholy.
Can an Orgasm Cure Your Headache?
Benefits of Orgasms With a Partner
6. Stronger Emotional Connection
Orgasms with a partner release oxytocin—the “love hormone”—which promotes feelings of attachment and emotional bonding. Kissing, cuddling, skin-to-skin contact, and other forms of physical touch can also increase the release of oxytocin, fostering closeness and trust. This combination of touch and shared pleasure helps partners feel more emotionally connected during and after intimate moments.
7. Better Relationship Satisfaction
8. Enhanced Immune Function
Sharing an orgasm with a partner mayboost your immune system. Sexual activity stimulates the production of immunoglobulin A (IgA), an antibody that helps protect the body from most infectious pathogens. Engaging in sex regularly may give you and your partner a health boost in addition to emotional closeness and bonding.
9. Support Heart Health
Sexual activity and orgasms with a partner may protect your heart health. During sexual activity, your heart rate increases, reaching its peak during orgasm before returning to a normal rate.
A study on older adults exploring how partnered sex affects heart health found that men who had partnered sex once a month had lower levels of C-reactive protein, an inflammatory marker linked to heart disease. The study also found that for women, having quality sex with a partner can lower blood pressure and lower the risk of heart disease.
Achieving an orgasm, whether solo or with a partner, starts with understanding your body and what pleases you. For many, this means exploring self-pleasure through masturbation. Using your hands, a vibrator, or other sex toys can help stimulate sensitive areas like the clitoris, penis, or othererogenous zonesand help you learn what type of touch, pressure, and rhythm feels best.
There are many different types of orgasms based on the area of the body being stimulated, including:
When engaging in sexual activity with a partner, open communication is key. Being frank about your needs, desires, and preferences helps your partner know how to please you. Take your time, and don’t rush the experience. Slow, mindful touch, foreplay, and focusing on building arousal can lead to more intense orgasms. Pay attention to the areas that give you the most pleasure, and guide your partner toward them.
Try not to focus too much on achieving an orgasm or performance anxiety and instead enjoy the experience and the present moment. Focusing on the path rather than just the goal of orgasm can lead to a more fulfilling and pleasurable experience. For some, trying new positions, experimenting with different kinds of touch, or using lubricants can improve sexual responses and lead to more powerful orgasms.
Other Ways to Get Benefits Without Orgasm
If you cannot climax, many of the benefits associated with orgasms—such as stress relief, improved mood, and emotional connection—are achievable throughintimacyand physical touch. Cuddling, holding hands, and gentle massages with a partner release oxytocin, which fosters closeness, reduces stress and enhances well-being.
Summary
Orgasms offer numerous benefits, from stress reduction and better sleep to a stronger immune system and mood improvements. They can also benefit your emotional, physical, and psychological well-being.
If you are struggling to orgasm through masturbation or with a partner, consider exploring different techniques, communicating openly about your desires, or seeking guidance from a healthcare provider or therapist.
19 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Gianotten, WL.The health benefits of sexual expression. In: Geuens S, Polona Mivšek A, Gianotten WL, eds.Midwifery and Sexuality. Springer International Publishing; 2023:41-48.Mental Health America.What are endorphins?Liu H, Waite LJ, Shen S, Wang DH.Is sex good for your health? A national study on partnered sexuality and cardiovascular risk among older men and women.J Health Soc Behav. 2016;57(3):276-296. doi:10.1177/0022146516661597Martínez Vázquez S, Hernández Martínez A, Peinado Molina RA, Martínez Galiano JM.Association between sexual function in women and sleep quality.Front Med (Lausanne). 2023;10:1196540. doi:10.3389/fmed.2023.1196540Rackal Y.Why doesn’t sleep advice talk about sex?CMAJ. 2021;193(11):E384-E385. doi:10.1503/cmaj.1095926Lakhsassi L, Borg C, Martusewicz S, et al.The influence of sexual arousal on subjective pain intensity during a cold pressor test in women.PLoS One. 2022;17(10):e0274331. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0274331Planned Parenthood.Six reasons masturbation is good for you.Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG).Premature ejaculation: learn more – what can I do on my own?Komisaruk BR, Rodriguez Del Cerro MC.How does our brain generate sexual pleasure?.Int J Sex Health. 2021;33(4):602-611. doi:10.1080/19317611.2021.1989534Cera N, Vargas-Cáceres S, Oliveira C, et al.How relevant is the systemic oxytocin concentration for human sexual behavior? A systematic review.Sex Med. 2021;9(4):100370. doi:10.1016/j.esxm.2021.100370Li Q, Zhao W, Kendrick KM.Affective touch in the context of development, oxytocin signaling, and autism.Front Psychol. 2022;13:967791. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.967791Gianotten WL, Alley JC, Diamond LM.The health benefits of sexual expression.Int J Sex Health. 2021;33(4):478-493. doi:10.1080/19317611.2021.1966564Planned Parenthood.How can I have an orgasm?Pauls RN.Anatomy of the clitoris and the female sexual response.Clin Anat. 2015;28(3):376-384. doi:10.1002/ca.22524Nguyen JD, Duong H.Anatomy, abdomen and pelvis, female external genitalia. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2022.Vieira-Baptista P, Lima-Silva J, Preti M, et al.G-spot: Fact or fiction?: A systematic review.Sex Med. 2021;9(5):100435. doi:10.1016/j.esxm.2021.100435Alwaal A, Breyer BN, Lue TF.Normal male sexual function: emphasis on orgasm and ejaculation.Fertil Steril. 2015;104(5):1051–1060. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2015.08.033Levin RJ.Prostate-induced orgasms: a concise review illustrated with a highly relevant case study.Clin Anat. 2018;31(1):81-85. doi:10.1002/ca.23006Pfaus JG, Quintana GR, Mac Cionnaith C, et al.The whole versus the sum of some of the parts: toward resolving the apparent controversy of clitoral versus vaginal orgasms.Socioaffect Neurosci Psychol. 2016;6:10.3402/snp.v6.32578. doi:10.3402/snp.v6.32578
19 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Gianotten, WL.The health benefits of sexual expression. In: Geuens S, Polona Mivšek A, Gianotten WL, eds.Midwifery and Sexuality. Springer International Publishing; 2023:41-48.Mental Health America.What are endorphins?Liu H, Waite LJ, Shen S, Wang DH.Is sex good for your health? A national study on partnered sexuality and cardiovascular risk among older men and women.J Health Soc Behav. 2016;57(3):276-296. doi:10.1177/0022146516661597Martínez Vázquez S, Hernández Martínez A, Peinado Molina RA, Martínez Galiano JM.Association between sexual function in women and sleep quality.Front Med (Lausanne). 2023;10:1196540. doi:10.3389/fmed.2023.1196540Rackal Y.Why doesn’t sleep advice talk about sex?CMAJ. 2021;193(11):E384-E385. doi:10.1503/cmaj.1095926Lakhsassi L, Borg C, Martusewicz S, et al.The influence of sexual arousal on subjective pain intensity during a cold pressor test in women.PLoS One. 2022;17(10):e0274331. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0274331Planned Parenthood.Six reasons masturbation is good for you.Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG).Premature ejaculation: learn more – what can I do on my own?Komisaruk BR, Rodriguez Del Cerro MC.How does our brain generate sexual pleasure?.Int J Sex Health. 2021;33(4):602-611. doi:10.1080/19317611.2021.1989534Cera N, Vargas-Cáceres S, Oliveira C, et al.How relevant is the systemic oxytocin concentration for human sexual behavior? A systematic review.Sex Med. 2021;9(4):100370. doi:10.1016/j.esxm.2021.100370Li Q, Zhao W, Kendrick KM.Affective touch in the context of development, oxytocin signaling, and autism.Front Psychol. 2022;13:967791. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.967791Gianotten WL, Alley JC, Diamond LM.The health benefits of sexual expression.Int J Sex Health. 2021;33(4):478-493. doi:10.1080/19317611.2021.1966564Planned Parenthood.How can I have an orgasm?Pauls RN.Anatomy of the clitoris and the female sexual response.Clin Anat. 2015;28(3):376-384. doi:10.1002/ca.22524Nguyen JD, Duong H.Anatomy, abdomen and pelvis, female external genitalia. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2022.Vieira-Baptista P, Lima-Silva J, Preti M, et al.G-spot: Fact or fiction?: A systematic review.Sex Med. 2021;9(5):100435. doi:10.1016/j.esxm.2021.100435Alwaal A, Breyer BN, Lue TF.Normal male sexual function: emphasis on orgasm and ejaculation.Fertil Steril. 2015;104(5):1051–1060. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2015.08.033Levin RJ.Prostate-induced orgasms: a concise review illustrated with a highly relevant case study.Clin Anat. 2018;31(1):81-85. doi:10.1002/ca.23006Pfaus JG, Quintana GR, Mac Cionnaith C, et al.The whole versus the sum of some of the parts: toward resolving the apparent controversy of clitoral versus vaginal orgasms.Socioaffect Neurosci Psychol. 2016;6:10.3402/snp.v6.32578. doi:10.3402/snp.v6.32578
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Gianotten, WL.The health benefits of sexual expression. In: Geuens S, Polona Mivšek A, Gianotten WL, eds.Midwifery and Sexuality. Springer International Publishing; 2023:41-48.Mental Health America.What are endorphins?Liu H, Waite LJ, Shen S, Wang DH.Is sex good for your health? A national study on partnered sexuality and cardiovascular risk among older men and women.J Health Soc Behav. 2016;57(3):276-296. doi:10.1177/0022146516661597Martínez Vázquez S, Hernández Martínez A, Peinado Molina RA, Martínez Galiano JM.Association between sexual function in women and sleep quality.Front Med (Lausanne). 2023;10:1196540. doi:10.3389/fmed.2023.1196540Rackal Y.Why doesn’t sleep advice talk about sex?CMAJ. 2021;193(11):E384-E385. doi:10.1503/cmaj.1095926Lakhsassi L, Borg C, Martusewicz S, et al.The influence of sexual arousal on subjective pain intensity during a cold pressor test in women.PLoS One. 2022;17(10):e0274331. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0274331Planned Parenthood.Six reasons masturbation is good for you.Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG).Premature ejaculation: learn more – what can I do on my own?Komisaruk BR, Rodriguez Del Cerro MC.How does our brain generate sexual pleasure?.Int J Sex Health. 2021;33(4):602-611. doi:10.1080/19317611.2021.1989534Cera N, Vargas-Cáceres S, Oliveira C, et al.How relevant is the systemic oxytocin concentration for human sexual behavior? A systematic review.Sex Med. 2021;9(4):100370. doi:10.1016/j.esxm.2021.100370Li Q, Zhao W, Kendrick KM.Affective touch in the context of development, oxytocin signaling, and autism.Front Psychol. 2022;13:967791. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.967791Gianotten WL, Alley JC, Diamond LM.The health benefits of sexual expression.Int J Sex Health. 2021;33(4):478-493. doi:10.1080/19317611.2021.1966564Planned Parenthood.How can I have an orgasm?Pauls RN.Anatomy of the clitoris and the female sexual response.Clin Anat. 2015;28(3):376-384. doi:10.1002/ca.22524Nguyen JD, Duong H.Anatomy, abdomen and pelvis, female external genitalia. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2022.Vieira-Baptista P, Lima-Silva J, Preti M, et al.G-spot: Fact or fiction?: A systematic review.Sex Med. 2021;9(5):100435. doi:10.1016/j.esxm.2021.100435Alwaal A, Breyer BN, Lue TF.Normal male sexual function: emphasis on orgasm and ejaculation.Fertil Steril. 2015;104(5):1051–1060. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2015.08.033Levin RJ.Prostate-induced orgasms: a concise review illustrated with a highly relevant case study.Clin Anat. 2018;31(1):81-85. doi:10.1002/ca.23006Pfaus JG, Quintana GR, Mac Cionnaith C, et al.The whole versus the sum of some of the parts: toward resolving the apparent controversy of clitoral versus vaginal orgasms.Socioaffect Neurosci Psychol. 2016;6:10.3402/snp.v6.32578. doi:10.3402/snp.v6.32578
Gianotten, WL.The health benefits of sexual expression. In: Geuens S, Polona Mivšek A, Gianotten WL, eds.Midwifery and Sexuality. Springer International Publishing; 2023:41-48.
Mental Health America.What are endorphins?
Liu H, Waite LJ, Shen S, Wang DH.Is sex good for your health? A national study on partnered sexuality and cardiovascular risk among older men and women.J Health Soc Behav. 2016;57(3):276-296. doi:10.1177/0022146516661597
Martínez Vázquez S, Hernández Martínez A, Peinado Molina RA, Martínez Galiano JM.Association between sexual function in women and sleep quality.Front Med (Lausanne). 2023;10:1196540. doi:10.3389/fmed.2023.1196540
Rackal Y.Why doesn’t sleep advice talk about sex?CMAJ. 2021;193(11):E384-E385. doi:10.1503/cmaj.1095926
Lakhsassi L, Borg C, Martusewicz S, et al.The influence of sexual arousal on subjective pain intensity during a cold pressor test in women.PLoS One. 2022;17(10):e0274331. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0274331
Planned Parenthood.Six reasons masturbation is good for you.
Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG).Premature ejaculation: learn more – what can I do on my own?
Komisaruk BR, Rodriguez Del Cerro MC.How does our brain generate sexual pleasure?.Int J Sex Health. 2021;33(4):602-611. doi:10.1080/19317611.2021.1989534
Cera N, Vargas-Cáceres S, Oliveira C, et al.How relevant is the systemic oxytocin concentration for human sexual behavior? A systematic review.Sex Med. 2021;9(4):100370. doi:10.1016/j.esxm.2021.100370
Li Q, Zhao W, Kendrick KM.Affective touch in the context of development, oxytocin signaling, and autism.Front Psychol. 2022;13:967791. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.967791
Gianotten WL, Alley JC, Diamond LM.The health benefits of sexual expression.Int J Sex Health. 2021;33(4):478-493. doi:10.1080/19317611.2021.1966564
Planned Parenthood.How can I have an orgasm?
Pauls RN.Anatomy of the clitoris and the female sexual response.Clin Anat. 2015;28(3):376-384. doi:10.1002/ca.22524
Nguyen JD, Duong H.Anatomy, abdomen and pelvis, female external genitalia. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2022.
Vieira-Baptista P, Lima-Silva J, Preti M, et al.G-spot: Fact or fiction?: A systematic review.Sex Med. 2021;9(5):100435. doi:10.1016/j.esxm.2021.100435
Alwaal A, Breyer BN, Lue TF.Normal male sexual function: emphasis on orgasm and ejaculation.Fertil Steril. 2015;104(5):1051–1060. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2015.08.033
Levin RJ.Prostate-induced orgasms: a concise review illustrated with a highly relevant case study.Clin Anat. 2018;31(1):81-85. doi:10.1002/ca.23006
Pfaus JG, Quintana GR, Mac Cionnaith C, et al.The whole versus the sum of some of the parts: toward resolving the apparent controversy of clitoral versus vaginal orgasms.Socioaffect Neurosci Psychol. 2016;6:10.3402/snp.v6.32578. doi:10.3402/snp.v6.32578
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