You get out and exercise instead of lounging on the sofa. You choose fruit over candy bars. You turn down a can of Coke for a glass of water. A healthy lifestyle is about making decisions that are good for you in your daily life. We all know that a cornerstone of good health is a good night’s rest, but it might not be the best choice you can make in the bedroom. Certain other bedroom activities have important benefits to your health, too...so how do you choose?

Why We Need Sleep

Sleep: you know you need it, but do you know why? According to the Journal of Sleep Research, a lack of sleep and interrupted sleep can cause serious health issues, from heart disease to diabetes. Sleep deprivation is dangerous in the short-term as well, immediately affecting everything from your mood to your level of alertness. Some studies also suggest that women might suffer these effects even more than men.

Another reason we should love sleep? It’s a great weapon in your stay-fit arsenal. Sleep has a huge effect on your metabolism... getting enough shuteye is essential to be able to process food efficiently and correctly.

Why We Need Sex

Sex: you know you want it, but do you know you need it, too? Safe sex has a multitude of health benefits. It’s as good as exercise, in fact: not only does it burn calories, it also increases blood flow to your organs, revving up your body with oxygen and washing away fatigue-inducing waste products. The endorphins that are released during sex are nature’s most powerful ibuprofen, relieving aches and pains.

An Hour: Better Spent Asleep or Doing The Deed?

So what should you choose, sex or sleep? The final answer depends on how much sleep you are losing to your erotic endeavours. Several studies by everyone from SLEEP journal to the American Cancer Society have reported that sleeping too much, as well as too little, is linked to a higher mortality rate. The perfect sleep target is somewhere around seven hours, so if you are getting that on a regular basis, then you may want to consider using your time for other health-enhancing —ahem— activities.

That said, sex can actually help you sleep. If you have trouble falling asleep, doing the deed might be just what you need. After orgasm,hormones run rampant through the body, and one of these is prolactin, which is one of the body’s most important regulators of sleepiness and quality of sleep. It helps you get REM sleep and mutes your body’s dopamine, the go-and-get-’em hormone.

So really, whether you choose sleep or sex, or a bit of both, you will be doing your body some good.

You may also want to know exercises to transform your sex life

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