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However, for people with vaginas, in particular,solo actiondoesnt always get the love it deserves.

Graphic of colorful vagina shapes

Inna/Adobe Stock

And the great news is that most of the perks listed below are pretty universal.

So without further ado…

1.

Yes, coming can be good for your mental health.

Picture the most mind-blowing orgasmor even just any incredible sexual experienceyouve ever had.

To be fair, there are no solid studies showing a clear link between masturbation and a better mood.

Having an orgasm might help you get better sleep.

Your muscles tense up, too, as they prepare for that exhilarating climax.

So when you finally come, all that pent-up energy and tension is released.

Your muscles may spasm.

Your blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing spike.

Is it any wonder that all of this can be kind of exhausting?

No, masturbation isnt a fail-safesleep aid, especially if youre dealing with serious bedtime troubles likeinsomnia.

Masturbation may increase your sex drive.

The reality is that many folks have dealt withlow libido(or sex drive) at some point.

Thats where self-pleasure can come to the rescue.

So the more you stimulate yourself, the more youll want to be stimulated, Dr. Trubow says.

If youre in a relationship, touching yourself can make you more interested in sex with your partner.

That might translate into even more masturbation (in that case, go you!)

or more sex with others.

And if youre single, exploring what gets you off can help you feel more confident in your sexuality.

After all,were sexual beingswhether were partnered up or notand theres absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Masturbating can help relieve menstrual cramps.

But masturbating can actually provide some relief, at least in the short term, Bailey says.

It may counteract certain menopause symptoms, too.

Youre probably already aware of some typicalsigns of menopauselikehot flashesand trouble sleeping.

But did you know that this transition period can affect your vagina too?

And this lack of wetness may make sex painful or otherwise uncomfortable, per theMayo Clinic.

Sexual activityincluding masturbationmay be associated with better cognition as you age.

Wed guess that you probably didnt need all eight reasons above to convince you to masturbate.

I mean, the one obvious benefit is enough to get most of us on board.