Today we’d like to explore the hot topic of masturbation. Whether you’re single, in a relationship, or in a situationship – masturbation can be a fun activity for you to embark on alone or with your lover.
What is masturbation?
Masturbation often gets a bad rep, especially in particular religions, but in reality, it is an absolutely natural and safe way to please yourself sexually and release stress.
Benefits of Masturbation
When it comes to benefits, masturbation has a strong case. It has a lot to offer both to our mental and physical health. Let’s look at the main perks of playing with yourself in the bedroom (or anywhere else!).
- Pleasure. Pretty self-explanatory, right? Masturbating feels phenomenal. Already that is a strong enough benefit to persuade us to masturbate more often.
- Better mood because who wouldn’t be happy after they’ve satisfied themselves?
- Less stress. Masturbation and reaching an orgasm get rid of built-up tension and help deal with stress, anxiety, and depression.
- Better sleep. Naturally, the less stress you feel and the happier you are, the better your sleep. Plus, it has something to do with hormones that are released when we’re reaching O-town.
- Better sex. Shockingly to many prudes, masturbation is actually good for your sexual life. You get to learn and understand yourself better, and that makes you more liberated in bed. As a result, you feel more comfortable and get to enjoy the process more, experimenting and being more sensitive towards yourself and your partners. And masturbating together can be fun foreplay too!
- Safe way to fool around. Masturbation can’t result in unwanted pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases (STIs) which is just awesome.
- Health benefits. There are conflicting studies out there, and not enough research overall, but there are findings that suggest masturbation helps reduce the risk of certain health issues, such as prostate cancer for men, or ease symptoms, such as back pain during pregnancy.
That’s an impressive list of benefits, isn’t it?
So if you’re looking for a list of pros and cons of masturbation, just know that there are no real negative effects to masturbation. It’s a perfectly natural, healthy, and pleasure-inducing activity that everyone should be experimenting with.
The only downside of masturbation that comes to mind is not a con of masturbation as such, but rather of what it makes people feel due to their beliefs. Certain religions will claim masturbation is bad and sin, so a person doing it will have conflicted emotions of pleasure from the act but hatred towards themselves for sinning. If you experience guilt because of your solo fun, try talking to a medical professional, they will be able to help you navigate this mental block.
Masturbation Myths
Oh boy, there are some insane myths about male and female masturbation that are low-key laughable. Yet, we know that spreading those myths and believing in them can be extremely harmful, so it’s not something we should take lightly.
Perhaps, one of the oldest and strongest myths is that masturbation negatively affects your general health and sexual wellness. Let us get this straight – if not done obsessively, masturbation is perfectly fine.
Here are some more insane myths about masturbation:
- It is unnatural
- Lowers libido
- Causes erectile dysfunction
- Dehydrates you (drink your water, sis)
- Makes women infertile (now that’s just something men came up with to torture women)
- Damages eyesight
- Causes acne
- Makes your palms hairy
- Can change the size of your genitals
- Decreases the sperm count
- Only people with bad sex life masturbate
We’re not sure how those myths came to life, but people spreading them should be isolated from society! Obviously, there is no scientific proof that any of them are true and somehow linked to masturbation. So go ahead and please yourself whenever you want, without worrying about your penis falling off or becoming infertile.
Types of Masturbation
Just like the act of masturbating can be performed virtually anywhere, there are equally as many types of masturbation you can indulge in.
Anyone lucky enough to have a vulva can choose between vaginal (internal) and clitoris (clit or external) masturbation. And don’t forget about the G-spot! Also, all genders can have fun with anal masturbation. Those of us who have penises can alternate between it and playing with balls.
And if you’ve ever heard about women saying they felt orgasmic sensations while giving birth – don’t think they’re crazy! They might have experienced what is called cervical orgasm. To experience it, you need to reach a bit further than you’d usually would to access the so-called A-spot which many call the back of the vagina. Some toys are designed to reach that spot, but you can try it with your hands or ask your partner to assist with such an important mission. A-spots can be extra sensitive though, so ease into it and pick up the pace gradually to avoid pain or discomfort.
There are many tools that can help you reach the highest point of pleasure, such as:
- Fingers (Flure’s favorite classic)
- Tongue and mouth, if you’re not alone
- Sex toys
- Showerheads
- Ethical adult videos
- Sexy audio playlists
- Erotic literature
You might not want to use them all at once, but each of the tools can get you to Pleasureville. Pick and choose depending on your mood and have life-changing orgasms and pleasure sessions.
Masturbation Tips
The topic of masturbation is still considered taboo in many societies and social groups. We want to change that, so if you’re wondering how to masturbate to reach maximum pleasure, read our tips below!
Tip number one: breathe in, breathe out.
Masturbation can be weird and embarrassing, regardless if you’re only starting to explore the world of self-pleasure, doing it for the first time in your life, or tried countless times before. That’s perfectly normal, take it slow, and don’t be too hard on yourself if you can’t immediately figure out how to do it.
Masturbation is all about pleasuring yourself. Sometimes even the orgasm itself is not as important as the process. It’s all about the journey, baby.
Before moving to a practice session, stop for a minute and ask yourself:
What do I want?
What makes me comfortable?
Where will I feel the most pleasure?
What positions and locations turn me on?
Do I need lube, toys, or anything else?
If you’re not up for a brainstorming session though, get down to business right away. You’ll have time to figure out the semantics later.
When pleasuring yourself, don’t jump straight to your genitals. Our bodies are beautiful and have many erogenous zones that can help maximize our pleasure. Think nipples, ears, neck, thighs. Experiment with touching yourself across all boards, and who knows – you might discover something about yourself that you would have never imagined!
There are many masturbation positions and techniques, don’t be shy and try them all. Different approaches can lead to different results in terms of orgasm and pleasure intensity. Don’t limit your options or worry about doing it correctly or properly, there’s so much pleasure out there waiting for you, regardless of how you get there.
And a couple of practical tips:
- Set the tone. You’ll be more inclined to climax with dimmed light, soft music, and cozy surroundings.
- Don’t forget to clean your toys regularly. Washing your dildo, vibrator, or whatever else you like to play with will keep you healthy and allow you to enjoy those toys for longer.
- If you have a penis, try being gentle to your little guy during solo sessions. Holding it too tight can temporarily decrease sensation due to the death grip syndrome. Don’t be too rough, and you’ll be fine.
- Bring in lube. That’s right, lube is not just for intercourse. It can soften the stimulation of the genitals and bring more pleasure. It is extra helpful if you’re prone to dryness and the body doesn’t produce much of its own liquids to help you out. You can choose lube, lotion, or a condom if you have a penis or use dildo-shaped accessories.
How Much Masturbation is Too Much Masturbation?
Too much of anything is good for nothing. Masturbation is a beautiful way to pass the time, release stress, and feel good. However, you might need to rethink your relationship with it if:
- You no longer feel sexual attraction to real human beings
- You cancel plans and skip important chores to do it
- It takes up most of your time (whether the act itself or fantasizing about it)
- It ruins your relationships with friends, family, and lovers
Ultimately, only you decide how often to masturbate, but if you suspect that there might be a problem and you are becoming addicted to masturbating, consider talking to a doctor about it.
Also, to get your thoughts (and hands) off this topic, try doing something else, ideally in a place where you wouldn’t want to be caught masturbating, such as going to the gym or meeting friends for coffee or lunch.
