Does Masturbating Help with Overall Health and Human Performance? The Intimate Connection

Research findings and expert perspectives suggest that sex can be referred to as a health-promoting behavior. On the WHOOP podcast, sleep, sexual activity, and athletic performance researcher Dr. Michele Lastella explained that “If you’re not [having sex], then potentially you're missing out on all the other health benefits that come with sex.”

And the same is true about masturbation. Drawing on physiological perspectives and insights from WHOOP research, here we explore how masturbation contributes to wellbeing, fitness, and athletic performance and what physical and mental health benefits of masturbating have been identified. 

Physiological Responses to Masturbation

Several key hormones and neurotransmitters are released during masturbation that can have wide-ranging effects, including:

• Endorphins — Endorphins are often referred to as the body’s natural “feel-good” hormones. Their release is associated with a rush of positive emotions and plays a role in stress reduction, pain relief, and improvements in mood.
• Oxytocin — Another key hormone is oxytocin, which is widely considered to be the body’s “love hormone”. Oxytocin is also linked to positive emotions and has been shown to promote relaxation, bonding, and pleasure.
• Prolactin — Prolactin is most well-known for its role in lactation and female reproductive health. It’s also released after masturbation and sexual activity, and is considered to contribute to sexual satisfaction as well as lowering stress levels and boosting mood.
• Serotonin — The neurotransmitter serotonin is another important part of the physiological response to masturbation. Serotonin stimulates feelings of happiness, relaxation, and connection. It can help mitigate the experience of negative emotions and aid in sleep.
• Dopamine — Dopamine is another neurotransmitter released in response to sexual activity. Dopamine is an essential part of the brain’s reward network, and is released after pleasurable behaviors to reinforce feelings of pleasure and satisfaction. It also increases positive feelings and reduces negative ones.

Together, the release of all of these hormones and neurotransmitters contributes to an enhanced sense of wellbeing, an increased experience of positive emotions, and reduced feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression.

Dr. Lastella explains that this “cocktail of hormones” that’s released after sexual activity occurs alongside a decline in levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which in turn reduces stress and promotes both relaxation and improved sleep quality.

Mental Health Benefits of Masturbating

The hormonal response to masturbation comes with a variety of mental health benefits aside from stress reduction and boosted mood. There are several other potential benefits, including:

• Increased Focus — Self-perceived improvements in abilities such as focus and concentration have been reported after masturbation. It’s theorized that the release of certain hormones and neurotransmitters involved in key cognitive processes such as motivation, learning, and memory may contribute. 
• Higher Self-Esteem — Masturbation can be an important self-care activity that helps boost self-esteem and fosters a positive connection with oneself. The hormone adrenaline can also be released as a result of masturbation, and has been linked to heightened self-esteem levels and positive personal growth.
• Purpose — According to the WHOOP Podcast, WHOOP data has also found that people are more likely to report having a sense of purpose after engaging in sexual activity. Research has linked increased levels of adrenaline to feelings of purpose in life, which may at least partially underlie this finding.
• Mental Well-being — Overall, the responses that occur at the physiological and psychological level during and after masturbation are associated with benefits to mental well-being. Improvements in stress management and increased relaxation can also improve sleep quality and duration, leading to feelings of being refreshed and well-rested.

Impact on Recovery Metrics

The benefits of masturbation also have implications for physical health. WHOOP research has explored the potential influence of masturbation on essential recovery metrics, including HRV and sleep data. Masturbation had a positive impact on recovery scores for women, with an increase of approximately 1.025 when masturbation was recorded. Masturbation also has a positive impact of about 1.5ms on HRV. 

Considerations for Athletes and Performance

While the physical and mental benefits of masturbation are clear, some athletes wonder if sex or masturbation will affect their athletic performance. The WHOOP podcast references a study from 2002, in which it was found that sexual activity did not affect an athlete’s mental concentration during a next-day event. The study did find, however, that recovery capacity could be impaired if the sexual activity occurred within two hours of the athletic event. Dr. Lastella concludes it could be helpful to follow the rule of “no sex for two hours before a big game, big fight, or whatever performance that you’re trying to do.” 

A more recent meta-analysis conducted in 2022 found no negative impact to physical performance of sexual activity between 30 minutes to 24 hours prior to the event. Sexual activity in this analysis included both sex and masturbation, and physical performance included tests of aerobic fitness, strength, and endurance. 

The mental health benefits of masturbating and potential boost to recovery metrics should be balanced with a consistent sleep schedule for the most optimal results. 

Track ‘All’ Fitness with WHOOP

WHOOP makes tracking all fitness activities and health-promoting behaviors simple. Through the WHOOP Journal, you can also track masturbation to see its impact on essential health metrics like HRV, recovery score, strain, and sleep. You can also record adjustments to your fitness routine, training schedule, and physical activities and visualize trends in your metrics over time. Track all fitness in one place with WHOOP.