Today I attempt to answer a question everyone ought to be asking: should masturbation be on your revision schedule?
In my childhood days (childhood being any younger than I am now), I was often greeted with shock when I opened up the conversation about masturbation. They’d say âBut youâre so innocent!â or âbut youâre a Christian!â as if those were reasons to avoid self-pleasure all together. Eventually the reactions must have struck a chord. The resounding message that masturbation wasnât something designed for my âkind of girlâ had its desired effect. Now, years and boyfriends later, I miss that little spark of excitement whenever I realised it was a ‘touch-yourself Tuesday’ or ‘wank-off Wednesday,’ and I wonder if other women feel the same way too?
The stats seem to underline my current worries. According to the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior, 2010 more than half of women aged 18-49 had masturbated in the previous 90 days but only a meagre 7.9% of women aged 25-29 masturbate between two and three times a week, compared to their male counterparts who are bashing it out more frequently at 23.4%. Although the first statistic is a positive sign that women are at the very least trying to fit masturbation in, the second indicates that perhaps we havenât mastered the art of habitual, or at least regular, self-pleasure.
Clearly we could be trying a bit harder, especially if we look at all the possible benefits to be reaped from clubbing the clam. Aside from the rather obvious reason to masturbate (the big âOâ), it appears that holding a party for one might also benefit your exam success too!
Firstly, itâs no surprise that masturbation can have an intense effect on your stress levels. The rising and release of pressure, as well as the mood-boosting hormones released before and after climax are known to relieve tension – physically and emotionally. So if youâre suffering from a spot of exam stress then dim the lights, wet your fingers or bust out your magic wand and give it the olâ college try!
Another effect of the relieved tension and increased hormones is an improved nightâs sleep! According to Health magazine, the endorphins released post-climax can help to lull yourself to sleep! So take note: More bashing = more sleep = more energy for revision! Â
Letâs face our ultimate fear, period cramps in exam season! Who wants to be bent double over a desk whilst trying to revise Jane Austen or astrophysics? Not me, and probably not you either. Well, turns out that masturbation can help out with this conundrum too. By feeling yourself up, you can also rid yourself of those pesky cramps!
Although I have only mentioned a few benefits that masturbation can have on your life, there really are tonnes more to experience! So why not give it a go this exam season? I know Iâll be picking up the baton again (both figuratively and literally!).
Edited by Jenine Tudtud
Sources:
https://kinseyinstitute.org/research/publications/faq.php
https://media.giphy.com/media/2KTkOkSt0He12/giphy.gif