At Good Clean Love, we are big fans of the heart. It's literally the core of our body and life being and, in a more figurative sense, it's the pathway to love and our connections with everyone in our lives. We wouldn't be who we are without it.
That's why we're bringing attention to Heart Health Month(February) and February 7, which is National Wear Red Day. It's the sober reality that heart disease is a leading cause of death in U.S. women. Over 1 in 3 women die of heart-disease related causes. And research now shows that women, in particular, present different signs and symptoms of cardiovascular distress than men. In fact, almost two thirds of women who die suddenly from heart disease have exhibited no previous symptoms.
We think it's worth taking the time to examine your own risk factors and know what to look for if you or someone you know experiences a cardiovascular event.
But we also have some good news. We're happy to share that there is an enjoyable, inexpensive, and easy way to improve your heart health. You may have even done it recently! First let's review the reasons why we need exercise to keep our heart in tip-top shape.
Why We Exercise
Exercise is the answer to many of our health and body concerns, including our cardiovascular health. And let’s face it; we all have those days where we want to skip the gym and head straight home to crawl into our cozy, warm beds. We have to convince (and sometimes) even force ourselves to go to yoga, Zumba, the gym, or our exercise of choice. We find ourselves facing an internal battle: “To exercise or not to exercise”?
Why do we do this?
Because we know that prioritizing exercise is prioritizing ourselves. Making time for physical activity is giving ourselves the best chance at living a long, healthy life. And we also know it has many real and tangible benefits.
- Releases endorphins
- Assists in weight loss
- Relieves stress
- Boosts our immune system
- Helps with depression and anxiety
- Improves sleep
It also has many positive effects for our heart health.
Benefits of Sex
But what if there was a more pleasurable way to get the same health benefits and without heading to a workout class? Sex-ercise may be the answer for you. This is a combination of exercise and sex for a pleasurable total body workout.
Sex helps:
- Lower your blood pressure
- Improve your quality of sleep
- Assist in weight loss
- Boost your libido
- Balance your hormones. (Studies show that hormone imbalance is a precursor to heart disease.)
- Improve bladder control
- Strengthen the pelvic floor
- Increase blood flow, making your vaginal tissues more elastic
- And lastly, deepen intimacy and connection with your partner
During sex, you will get your blood flowing, lungs working, and engage every major muscle group to help burn calories and tone your body in the process. Not to mention getting lost in the pleasure, sharing more intimate moments, and deepening our connections with our partners.
According to “The Ultimate Sex Diet”, one 30-minute session of lovemaking will burn 150 to 250 calories, depending on how active you are.
There are countless studies and articles that have been conducted on the amount of calories burned while in the throes of passion; some say it’s less than hitting the treadmill, others say it’s more. Ultimately, it will depend on the activity level and duration of your sex session.
Now, don’t go turning in your gym memberships just yet. We still need to maintain our exercise routines, but why not allow ourselves the freedom to skip the gym every once and while?
So go ahead and give yourself permission tonight to complete your workout between the sheets instead!
