What gives you a high? Is it a haircut, a facial, a shopping spree or good sex? Lachmi Deb Roy discovers that women find sex to be the most therapeutic activity of all
What happens when women feel low? A broken heart leads some women straight to a salon,
but it is not the same for all. Some sit with their girlfriends and pour their hearts out to lift their spirits on a low day, while others go through their memory lane to give themselves a high. Some women find travel incredibly rejuvenating while for others it is music that revitalises. Sometimes, women just gorge on all things sinful to get over a setback and comfort themselves. For others, a new haircut puts the zing back into their lives. “I am not a big-time make-over fan, so no hair cuts for me. I go on a guilt trip soon after all the shopping I do; so all the fun disappears. When it comes to having sex, if I actually have a good option there, then I don’t mind it at all,” says teacher Suparna Sinha (name changed).
Healing feel-good workout
For most women, sex can be a wonderful reason to keep going when everything else seems gloomy. It is a way of connecting with someone they love besides being a mode of relaxation. Sex need not necessarily mean intercourse. It can be just physical contact by which we share pleasure and get close to each other. Anti-ageing creams or facials cannot give you the glow that good sex does. Sex is indeed magical. Researchers have proved that it is the best and the most fun workout. People who indulge in regular lovemaking have better heart health. When you are having a great sex session with your boyfriend or husband, these things are last on your mind, but sex has been proven to nurture physical and mental health. It makes your immune system robust and lowers the rate of depression. And did you know that 30 minutes of sex can burn 85 calories?
Beauty fix
Model Waluscha Robinson says, “When I had my first child, there came a drastic change in my life and I was very depressed. So I went for a haircut and I chopped off my long hair really short to my jaw length. I felt good for some time, but the satisfaction lasted only for a few days. The same goes for shopping too. You feel good only for a few hours. But when it comes to sex with your life partner or your boyfriend, the happiness lingers for quite some time. You feel satisfied both mentally and physically.” She further adds, “When you are enjoying a good sex life with your partner, you feel rejuvenated from within and it shows on your face.”
Boosting self-esteem
Sex can be therapeutic as long as it does not become compulsive. Sexual healing is helpful in the sense that it allows women to affirm their belief in themselves. A safe and healthy sex life allows you to enjoy any activity to the fullest. Sex can do wonders when your self-esteem is at an all-time low. Psychologist Seema Hingorrani says, “Sex can actually be therapeutic as a lot of feel-good hormones are released. With sexual intimacy, you feel loved and wanted. And sex is a basic need of human beings. You cannot deny it and you need not go all the way. Hugging, touching each other, getting close in a loving and affectionate manner can be a huge confidence-booster. Acceptance by another person gives women a high.”
Don’t go overboard
Hingorrani, however, warns that sex should not become compulsive. She says, “Sometimes I have seen women getting desperate and plunging into a relationship because they are not satisfied in their present relationship. When they cannot sustain a relationship, they start looking outside marriage.” When sex gets compulsive, you can end up getting into trouble and the damage can be irrepressible. If that happens, instead of healing you, it can drag you further down into depression. The bottom line is that lovemaking should not stem from rejection, frustration or boredom. If you get intimate with someone you love, sex leads to bonding and a happy state of mind.
