What Happens When I Go Through A Dry Spell

While there are a lot of reasons why people choose to have sex, there are also a bunch of reasons why some people don’t have sex. Having sex is great, but NOT having sex is also totally okay! One doesn’t have to be better than the other.

You may have heard about the different benefits you can reap from sex. Perhaps you’ve also asked yourself, “what then happens to my body when I go through a long dry spell? Or even for forever!?” Don’t worry! It’s not a big deal. Here are some of the little things your body may experience during a dry spell.

What will happen to my body?

Immune system

Regular sex boosts the immune system to help the body fend off illnesses. Having less or no sex may mean having frequent colds, flu, and the like. A study revealed that college students who have sex one to two times a week had higher levels of immunoglobulin A. This certain antibody plays an important role in your immune system.

Cardiovascular health

Sex is a great form of exercise that strengthens the heart, lowers blood pressure, reduces stress, reduces the risk for heart attack, and improves sleep. Not having sex doesn’t automatically mean that your cardiovascular health is doomed. There are different exercises that can give you the same benefits (and masturbation is one of them).

Vagina

The longer you go without sex, the more uncomfortable it will be the next time. The tissues in the vagina can become thinner and take a longer time to get aroused and lubricated. This may lead to micro-tears and bleeding during sex.

Period Pains

For some women, sex is an excellent remedy for menstrual cramps. The endorphins released from sex and uterine contractions from an orgasm help relieve cramps. If you can’t have sex to alleviate your period pains, you can always masturbate.

Prostate Cancer

How often you have sex may be linked to your chances of having prostate cancer. However, experts are yet to confirm whether the two are strongly related. In one study, men who said they ejaculated more than 21 times a month on average had lower chances of prostate cancer, compared to those who have four to seven ejaculations in a month.

What will happen to my mental health?

Stress and anxiety

Your body releases oxytocin and endorphins whenever you have sex. These hormones help you manage stress, while oxytocin can also help make you fall asleep better. Without sex, your body may release these hormones less often.

Libido

The more you have sex, the more your libido and interest to have sex increase. Going through a long period without sex can make you lose interest in sex altogether.

What will happen to our relationship?

Sex is most couples’ way of bonding and getting emotionally close together. Regular sex can also open doors to better communication. In general, couples who have sex more often feel happier and more connected with each other, compared to those who have it less often or don’t have it at all.

For couples who don’t have sex or don’t have it often, some of them may feel disconnected or more stressed with each other. On the other hand, couples who aren’t interested in sex or don’t find it essential often turn to shared activities to be connected, such as deep conversations.

How can I enjoy the benefits of sex without actually having sex?

If you don’t have a partner, you can always masturbate. You still get to reap the same benefits of sex through masturbation, such as boosting your immune system, cardiovascular health and prostate health, keeping the vagina plump and healthy, and banishing period pains. Even without a partner, your body will still release oxytocin and endorphins when you orgasm during masturbation.

The amount of sex you had doesn’t determine your worth as a person. And most importantly, it also doesn’t determine how healthy you are or how long you’ll live. There are a bunch of other activities that also offer the same benefits of sex and masturbation. Exercising is just one of them, and you can try out what kind of exercise fits your preferences.