Masturbating brings happiness. Whether doing it alone or with the person with whom we maintain a relationship, many find it a pleasant part of the couple itself.
In fact, a study published in the Journal of Sex Education and Therapy found that women who masturbated had happier marriages compared to those who didn’t.
Side effects of masturbation
Masturbation is harmless. Some people may experience skin irritation or sensitivity, but this will usually pass within a few days. At most, if men masturbate frequently in a short space of time, they may experience slight swelling of the penis called edema. This swelling usually goes away in a couple of days.
Other possible side effects
Some people who fear that masturbation conflicts with their religious, spiritual, or cultural beliefs may experience feelings of guilt. However, masturbation is not immoral or wrong, and self-pleasure is not shameful. Talking about these feelings with a health professional or sexual health therapist may help overcome feelings of guilt or shame connected with masturbation.
Decreased sexual sensitivity
What happens if we masturbate ‘uncontrollably’? Aggressive or excessive masturbation techniques can lead to reduced sexual sensitivity. If men frequently engage in an aggressive masturbation method that involves gripping the penis too tightly, they may experience decreased sensation. To solve this problem you simply have to change the technique. Time will do the rest.
The benefits of toys in self-stimulation
Enhanced stimulation, such as using a vibrator, can increase arousal and overall sexual function in both men and women. Studies have found that women who use a vibrator reported better sexual function and lubrication, while men men experienced an improvement in erectile function.
Disruption of the daily rhythm of life
In rare cases, some people may masturbate more than they want to, which can: cause them to miss work, school, or important social events, interrupt their daily tasks, affect their responsibilities and relationships, or serve as an escape from personal problems or as a substitute for real life experiences. Anyone who thinks they might be negatively affected by their practice of masturbation should talk to a health professional. A doctor or counselor can suggest talk therapy to determine ways to control your sexual behavior. Seeing a sex therapist can also help with coping strategies for excessive masturbation.
Statistics
According to statistics, 95 percent of men succumb to self-stimulation compared to 89 percent of women, and among them, almost half do so on a daily basis. 53 percent of women use a vibrator when masturbating, and 17 percent of men, too.
Testosterone
Against all odds, those who have sex regularly masturbate more frequently than those who have not done so for a while. In men, this is due to the increase in testosterone during the period of sexual activity, which leads to a greater appetite in general, creating a vicious circle (pun intended).
Orgasm
Contrary to what we usually think, the orgasm obtained alone is, with few exceptions, more intense than the one obtained in a sexual relationship with a partner. In the case of women, moreover, this is achieved in an average of 4 minutes, compared to the 15 and 20 minutes it takes in company.
Origin of the term
The term “masturbate” comes from the Latin manus turbare, whose meaning would come close to disturbing or violating oneself with the hand, which shows that female onanism has always been subsidiary to the male one, and that it lacks a specific term that designates it, the verb “digiturbarse” being more appropriate.
Diseases
The hormonal release that follows ejaculation, together with the release of tension, improves mood and promotes relaxation , in addition to preventing various pathologies such as type 2 diabetes. Specifically, the release of cortisol strengthens the immune system and the of endorphins in the bloodstream reduces depression.
Sexual dysfunctions
Autoeroticism helps to overcome psychological barriers that lead to sexual dysfunctions such as anorgasmia and loss of sexual desire, by providing a better knowledge of one’s own anatomy and contributing to the inhibition of anxiety.
Infections
Reduces infections or urinary tract diseases. For women, it helps the cervix open and release cervical mucus and fluids, which often harbor bacteria. In the case of men, it helps to strengthen the muscles, thus preventing incontinence and erectile dysfunction, which is also obtained through morning erections.
Menstrual pain
Helps alleviate menstrual pain: discomfort is usually reduced when the woman masturbates before and after the bleeding period. Onanism also has advantages for the first birth, since by strengthening the pelvis, it provides more effective contractions.
Cancer
Reduces the risk of suffering from prostate tumors. Men who masturbate more than five times a week between the ages of 20 and 50 are less likely to develop cancer, according to a study by the Cancer Epidemiology Center in Melbourne, Australia. 
Sperm
Animals masturbate too. As an example, male Cape ground squirrels masturbate shortly after mating with females to reduce the risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases, according to a study published in the journal PLoS ONE. Dolphins also masturbate from childhood.
Animals you didn’t know masturbated
Animals masturbate too. As an example, male Cape ground squirrels masturbate shortly after mating with females to reduce the risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases, according to a study published in the journal PLoS ONE. Dolphins also masturbate from childhood.
Both males and females
Wasps, crickets… the list is interesting and contains curious facts, such as the case of certain species of African squirrels, such as Xerus inauris, which masturbate after having copulated, in order to clean the urethra, according to an article published in PLOS One magazine.
Bats, for example, masturbate so that sexual intercourse lasts longer.
A study carried out by TENGA, the Japanese sexual well-being company, with a total of 10,000 men and women from nine countries -including Spain for the first time-, has revealed that 93% of Spaniards claim to have masturbated, placing Spain as country that masturbates the most, above the English (91%); Germans (89%); Americans (84%); French (82%); Taiwanese (80%); Korean and Japanese (76%) and Chinese (73%).
