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Can having regular sex delay the onset of menopause? Let’s find out

A new study claims that there is a possible link between more sex and delayed menopause. But is it true? Let’s find out.
regular sex and menopause
Sexual health problems may keep sex from being satisfying. Follow these rules! Image courtesy: Shutterstock
Geetika Sachdev Published: 11 Sep 2021, 18:00 pm IST
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The very mention of sex conjures up the best feelings, doesn’t it? By now, we also know that having a steamy sesh in the bedroom isn’t just about pleasure, but also several health benefits. But guess what? A new study published in Royal Society Open Science also claims that those women who had sex weekly are 28 percent less likely to experience menopause at any given age, as compared to those who indulged in sex less than monthly.

Further, the findings showed that women who had sex monthly were 19 percent less likely to experience menopause, as compared to those who didn’t. What’s important to note here is that sex does help, but women must not be pressured into it, just to delay menopause. 

What is the link between the two?

To begin with, let’s first talk about sexual activity. It could be defined as intercourse, oral sex, touching or even self-pleasure. Although more research is needed on this subject, this is a large study that possibly aims to establish this link. 

regular sex and menopause
Sex has many unbelievable benfits. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

As most of us know, menopause is a stage that every woman faces in her life, but the timing is also dependent on her genetics. But that’s one part — the early onset of menopause is also a consequence of lifestyle habits such as smoking and the number of eggs a woman is born with.

Research suggests that married women reach the menopausal stage later than unmarried or divorced women, revealing that sexual habits have a huge role to play. That’s because when a woman is sexually active, the body calculates the chances of becoming pregnant. In other cases, it finds ovulation almost pointless. Even if a woman has sex, but not so frequently, the body will not receive clear signals. This is also called the grandmother hypothesis.

“Ovulation is a costly process both in terms of energy and due to the fact it worsens immune function. When approaching midlife, there may be a trade-off between continued ovulation and the likelihood of becoming pregnant, with sexual frequency serving as the cue of possible pregnancy. “Mechanistically, it is likely something to do with estrogen, but we don’t know the exact pathway,” shared study author Megan Arnot with the media.

Also, read: Yasmin Karachiwala shares exercises to combat menopausal symptoms and keep fit

Moreover, non-smokers and those with a higher education level are also said to have delayed menopause. 

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regular sex and menopause
You must pay attention to your lifestyle, both before and after menopause. Image courtesy: Shutterstock
But is there something else to know?

Of course, a healthy sex life has benefits, but it shouldn’t be that you engage in sex all the time, just to delay menopause. For now, we just know there’s an association, but there’s more research that needs to be done to really know if this holds true. 

So ladies, enjoy sex if you want to; the benefits will most likely follow!

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About the Author

An independent writer and journalist, Geetika loves sharp and fresh humour, just like her coffee! If not writing, you'll find her cafe-hopping and raiding the best book stores in town. ...Read More

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