Routine sex can reduce high blood pressure

It is undeniable that having sex has many health benefits. Starting from relieving stress, making you stay young, to healthy your heart. Not quite there, making love with your partner can also help lower blood pressure, you know! How can? Here's the explanation.

The benefits of sex in lowering blood pressure

This finding is certainly a breath of fresh air for those of you who have high blood pressure problems, aka hypertension. Apart from limiting salt intake and adjusting your diet, routine sex with your partner can actually make your blood pressure more stable, you know!

According to a study published in the journal Blood Pressure Monitoring in 2008, having sex has been shown to reduce systolic blood pressure, aka "upper" blood pressure. The reason is, sex can reduce homocysteine levels in the blood so as to prevent the risk of blockage of blood vessels.

Homocysteine is one of the amino acids found in the body. If the level of homocysteine in the blood increases excessively, this amino acid can block blood flow so that the heart will work harder to pump blood. As a result, your blood pressure increases.

This was also approved by E. Dean Nukta, MD, a medical director of cardiology at Fairview Hospital. Dean Nukta explained that during orgasm, the body releases the hormone oxytocin, which gradually lowers blood pressure.

In fact, just cuddling with your partner can also lower blood pressure, you know. This is evidenced by a study in the journal Behavioral Medicine in 2003 on 74 women and 109 men.

Participants were asked to watch a romantic video for 10 minutes holding hands. After that, they were asked to cuddle for 20 seconds with their partner.

Then, the results showed that touching the skin, either by holding hands or hugging, can lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure. This is because the warm and intimate touch of the partner creates a relaxed sensation and makes blood flow smooth.

The smoother the blood flow, the easier it will be to control blood pressure. In fact, this can lower the risk of heart disease in the future.

Is sex alone enough to lower blood pressure?

Sex can indeed lower blood pressure. However, this doesn't mean you just rely on sex and forget to apply other healthy lifestyles, huh.

It should be noted that lifestyle plays an important role in treating your high blood pressure. If you have been having sex continuously but not maintaining your diet, the results will certainly be in vain.

Apart from making love, also pay attention to your daily lifestyle. You can also, really, lose weight in a natural way, aka without drugs, including:

1. Exercise regularly

People who are overweight are prone to hypertension. In addition, being overweight can also cause sleep apnea which can further increase your blood pressure.

To fix this, do regular exercise for at least 30 minutes every day. There are many types of exercise that you can choose from to lower blood pressure. Starting from walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, or yoga.

You can also do high-intensity sports such as running, but you should first consult a doctor to ensure your health.

2. Adjust your diet

Even though you have sex regularly, don't forget to balance it with a healthy diet. In addition to limiting salt intake, choose healthy and nutritious foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products. All of these foods can lower your blood pressure by up to 11 mmHg.

3. Avoid stress

There are many reasons that many couples have sex regularly. One of them is because sex can inhibit the production of the hormone cortisol (stress hormone) as well as increase the hormone oxytocin which creates a sense of happiness.

Low stress hormones can make blood vessels wider. As a result, blood flow becomes smoother and your blood pressure becomes more normal.