Blog Masturbation is Healthy

Jerking off, self pleasuring, beating around the bush, letting your fingers do the walking, answering the bone-o-phone. A euphemism by any other name is masturbation.

May is National Masturbation Month. When I found that out, I got to thinking about how uncomfortable our society is with masturbation. I’ve never really understood why. Don’t get me wrong, I certainly agree it is something that shouldn’t be done on the public thoroughfare, but I don’t see why people freak out with the idea of people doing it in private.

Let’s everyone say it all together,”Masturbation is a normal, healthy sexual behavior and there is nothing wrong with doing it!” Say it loud and proud! For someone with no sexual partner, masturbation may be their only sexual activity and outlet.

Masturbation is good for you! Some of the health benefits of masturbation include:

• Better sleep. Masturbation relaxes you and helps you fall asleep easier.
• Better mood. Endorphins are released when we masturbate just like when we have sex. We feel better from our “endorphin high.”
• Reduced risk of prostate cancer and infections. Men who masturbate regularly have been shown to have a reduced risk of prostate cancer. The theory that “cleaning out the pipes” on a regular basis helps keep the prostate healthy.
• Keeping the genitals in shape. Women who masturbate regularly are helping to keep their vaginal muscles toned. This is especially important as we age and the vaginal area becomes less supple. It also helps reduce pain with intercourse and vaginal dryness.
•  Stress relief. Again those magical endorphins help us by reducing and relieving stress.
• Building up pelvic floor muscles. This in turn leads to better, more pleasurable sex.
• No risk of pregnancy.
• No risk of HIV or STD transmission.

Perhaps one of the biggest benefits of masturbation is that it shows us that we are not dependent on another person for our sexual pleasure. It reinforces the bold truth that we are in control of our sex lives and pleasure by validating that whether or not we have a partner, we do not have to live without being sexual. This reason alone makes National Masturbation Month worth celebrating.

During the month of May while we are celebrating our sexual selves and our ability to self pleasure, I would challenge those of you who have been taught that your body or genitals are dirty or bad, that you shouldn’t touch yourself and if you do you should be filled with guilt and shame to embrace yourself and celebrate your sexuality. Shake off those shackles that people have been dragging around attached to their penises and vulvas for thousands of years and set yourself free. If you do, I bet you will want every month to be National Masturbation Month!