If you’ve been ordered to stay indoors and self-isolate amid the coronavirus outbreak, you could get pretty bored and lonely not being able to socialise – I mean, there’s only so much Netflix you can watch.
So while you make one last dash to the
supermarket to stock up on your supply of toilet paper and canned goods, perhaps consider adding some batteries to your shop, because as it turns out, masturbating will not only give you something to do, but it will help keep you healthy – and who are we to go against the doctor’s orders.
But while many people look past the health benefits of indulging in a little self-love, Dr Jennifer Landam, a specialist in hormone therapy, suggests that masturbation might be exactly what you need to strengthen your body’s natural defence forces.
Self-pleasuring is known to boost your immune system and raise your white blood cell count – which in turn helps to fight infection in the body.
Now, this might not be the first time you’ve heard that time alone with your favourite toy will help with more than just relieving stress after a tough day at work- and that’s because it’s back by science.
Dr Landom’s views are also reflected in a small study conducted by the Department of Medical Psychology at the University Clinic of Essen in Germany which closely looked at the effects of orgasm through masturbation on white blood cell count.
And yes, while we agree that a team of doctors watching a group of people engage in self-pleasure is rather strange, the results were clear and it was confirmed that sexual arousal and orgasm increased the number of white blood cells and boosted the immune system – so thank you, volunteers.
More than that, though, orgasms, in general, help you relax and sleep better, too – and more sleep means more time for your body to repair and recover.
Besides, the NHS even says that sexual arousal sends the heart rate higher, and the number of beats per minute reaches its peak during orgasm.
So if you are feeling a little under the weather, or simply want your immune system firing the way it should, simply whip out your playmate and enjoy the time indoors.
But remember, if you are engaging in sex with a partner during the coronavirus outbreak be sure to slap on a condom because according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, the main method of transmission of the coronavirus is person-to-person contact – and we all know what that means.
