May is International Masturbation Month, so there is no better way to promote the occasion than with a list of health benefits that comes from masturbating regularly. Masturbation, just like every day exercise, is important to the body. The benefits to masturbating are outstanding, and it doesn’t only benefit men, but it benefits women greatly as well.

Brush off the stigma of masturbation and know that it’s actually benefiting you health-wise by doing this chore. Making yourself orgasm is the best thing you can do for yourself and your body.

1. Improves Your Sleep

Masturbation will have you sleeping in no time. It is a natural sleep sedative, and it’s way better and way more pleasurable than a white noise machine or taking Nyquil before bed every night. Self-pleasure produces endorphins, which are the essential chemicals released that can help ease pain and stress. Let yourself go and relax and catch up on those zzz's.

2. Strengthens Muscles
Masturbating is just like a work out. Masturbation helps you tone pelvic and anal muscles. Having a stronger pelvic floor leads to better sex, and it can also reduce a woman's chance of involuntary urine leakage by tightening those pelvic muscles. Women can also tone this muscle by doing kegal exercises.

3. Menstruation Pain Relief

You can get rid of the Midol and heating pads when you use masturbation as a pain reliever. Self-pleasure can actually relieve a lot of the pain you feel during your period. Premenstrual irritability, cramps and those painful backaches you get during your period can all be eased by masturbation. Masturbating increases blood flow to the pelvic region and helps relieve that menstruation irritability.

4. Alleviates Urinary Tract Infections

If you are prone to UTIs masturbating is your solution! Masturbating not only helps relieve discomfort, but it can also flush out old bacteria from the cervix. This is another great excuse to hop into bed and have some solo fun. Relieve irritation and infection by pleasing yourself. Get cozy and rub away the discomfort.

5. Lowers Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

This is a big one. You can lower the risks of diabetes by reaching those big orgasms. Women who experience more big Os were shown to have a greater resistance to type 2 diabetes. So if you needed to find an excuse for masturbating here it is! It’s not like you even really needed another reason to make yourself orgasm.

6. Masturbation boosts your immunity

Ejaculation releases the hormone cortisol, which is a stress hormone. Releasing this hormone in small doses can help strengthen and maintain your immune system. Don’t waste money on Emergen-C and other immune system boosters, all you need is your hand or a fun sex toy to play with. You’ll rarely get sick if you keep your immune system up and healthy with masturbation.

7. Masturbation makes sex better

Practice makes perfect, as the saying goes. Through masturbation you learn what your sensitive zones are and what exactly it is that you like. After finding these things out on your own, you can then communicate to your partner what and where and why. Learning to pleasure yourself is the only way you’ll know how to have someone else pleasure you.

8. Masturbation prevents prostate cancer.

For men, masturbating can help prevent prostate cancer. This is a very big deal and all men should take advantage of this benefit. The toxins that build up in the urogenital tract that lead to disease flush out of the body when a man ejaculates. Men who ejaculate more than five times a week are 1/3 less likely to develop prostate cancer.

All these benefits are great for you and your body. No one should be ashamed or embarrassed of masturbation. Sex and orgasms are natural human needs. Just like water, food, and exercise, masturbation is important in keeping a healthy body. Relax, have fun, and find pleasure; all the health benefits will follow.