Want to slow down aging? Of course you do! But how?
It seems like every day, there is a new product promising to keep you looking and feeling forever young. The problem is these items cost a lot—is it really worth it to go broke for the sake of slowing down aging? Maybe for some that answer is yes, but it may not feasible for others.
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Well, the good news is that slowing down aging doesn’t come in a bottle, cream, or even a pill. In fact, it comes in a pretty exciting and fun activity.
Sex helps slow down aging: Study
A recent study suggests that engaging in sex at least once a week can help slow down aging—doesn’t that sound more enjoyable than spending all your money? For the study, researchers examined the sex lives of 129 mothers in relationships over the course of a week. The researchers found that those women who had sex at least once during the study period had significantly longer telomeres. Telomeres are caps at the ends of DNA that protect DNA from damage.
Generally, shorter telomeres are a sign of greater damage, which occurs normally through aging. Therefore, longer telomeres are a sign of longevity.
It is known that eating well, regular exercise, and sex can help mend and lengthen telomeres. On the one hand, poor lifestyle habits like drinking alcohol, being overweight, and poor diet can shorten and damage them. Longer telomeres are related to living longer too.
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One thing this study highlights is that it may not be sex itself that mends telomeres, but the benefits that come along with sex, including reduced stress. It definitely doesn’t hurt, though, to maintain a healthy sex life about once a week not only for the longevity benefits, but for the variety of other benefits it can offer.
The study in itself was small, so larger studies need to take place in order to confirm findings. But in the meantime, why not try and strengthen and lengthen your telomeres and combat aging by engaging in some activity between the sheets with your partner? In this situation, neither of you have anything to lose.
Related: Frequent sex in seniors found to promote cognitive ability
