Is it healthy to masturbate?

Masturbation might be considered taboo, but self-pleasure is an entirely normal and natural part of being human. It's a safe way to explore your body and understand what satisfies you — and there are wellness benefits to boot.

The surprising inside scoop is that masturbation is actually great for you. From reducing stress to boosting mood and sleep, there isn't much an orgasm can't do. 

What is masturbation?

Masturbation is stimulating your own genitals and erogenous zones with your hands, sex toys, or other objects for sexual pleasure. It’s an excellent way to explore your sexuality and learn what arouses your unique body. 

According to the world’s largest masturbation survey, 78% of adults masturbate — so it’s more than normal. Nearly everyone you know does it, so it’s nothing to be ashamed of. And on top of that, it that can teach you what you like and even how to orgasm on your own before partnered sex, making it easier to teach someone else what turns you on and gets you off. 

If it’s your first time, try one of these masturbation techniques to figure out what makes you feel good: 

• Touching: Touching is one of the most common ways people masturbate. Use your hands and fingers to touch your own body and stimulate sensitive areas like the clitoris, nipples, or anus.

• Rubbing: Some people prefer rubbing their genitals against an object like a pillow. You can also use your hand to rub the area gently or with a little extra pressure. 

• Pinching: Some people like squeezing certain areas of their bodies during masturbation. This can offer a more intense sensation than touching or rubbing. 

• Massaging: A body, penis, or vaginal massage can help you relax and explore slowly before diving in. 

You can use these techniques on their own or together, with or without sex toys and vibrators. Remember that masturbation is more about the journey than the destination, and since you’re by yourself, nobody will judge you for experimenting. You don’t even have to achieve orgasm. It’s just about having fun and discovering what you like. 

How often is it healthy to masturbate?

You might be wondering, is it healthy to masturbate every day? When it comes to self-love and sexual health, there's no one-size-fits-all frequency. It's perfectly fine to masturbate as often as you want to, which may be daily for some people and less often (even never) for others. 

With that in mind, it's essential to consider why you're masturbating. While it might make you feel good in the moment, masturbating more than you’d like to can signal an addiction issue.  If your habits impact your life negatively — like interrupting your day or affecting your sex life with partners — reassess how often you're engaging in self-stimulation. Seek professional help from a sex therapist if you need to talk to someone about excessive masturbation. 

Is masturbation healthy? 10 benefits 

Masturbation is much more than a sexually pleasurable (and safe) activity. It offers impressive benefits for physical and mental health, such as: 

1. Reducing stress

Masturbating releases endorphins that relax you. It promotes stress and tension relief and gives your brain (and body) the chance to blow off some steam, literally and figuratively. These relaxing endorphins include oxytocin — which people call a happy hormone for good reason. 

2. Boosting sleep quality

A little self-love starts and ends in bed. Those relaxing sex hormones offer better sleep quality, helping you fall asleep, stay asleep, and feel better the next day. Try adding self-pleasure to your evening routine. 

3. Relieving pain

Endorphins genuinely do it all — even pain management. Oxytocin and other hormones like serotonin and dopamine can act as natural pain relievers, reducing discomfort from things like menstrual cramps, headaches, and muscle soreness. Next time your head is pounding, try getting some solo time in. 

4. Improving mood

The hormones that come out to play when you masturbate relieve pain from both your body and your mind. Oxycontin is a natural mood booster that helps you feel more upbeat and joyful. So if you're having an off day, try cheering yourself up in a new way. 

5. Feeding the brain

Orgasm activates the motor, reward, and sensory areas of the brain, a process that boosts blood flow. Next time you touch yourself, you’re giving your brain a healthy workout. 

6. Improving performance

Masturbation is empowering, and with empowerment comes confidence in the bedroom. Learning to love your body through self-pleasure fosters sexual self-esteem that could help you perform better when you explore with a partner. 

7. Boosting your immune system

The health benefits of orgasms include getting sick less often. Yes, you read that correctly. Masturbation releases the chemical DHEA, which increases immunity. And getting it on with yourself on the regular can release other hormones that consistently boost your body's immune function. Just consider it self-care.

8. Lowering prostate cancer risk 

Frequent ejaculation may lower the risk of prostate cancer in people with penises. A Harvard study found a 31% lower chance of prostate cancer in people who ejaculated 21 or more times monthly. 

9. Helping you get to know yourself

What are your turn-ons, turn-offs, fantasies, or fetishes? There’s only one way to find out: exploring your body.

Masturbation helps you discover who you are sexually. It's a safe and satisfying way to explore what brings you pleasure without pressure. If an audience makes you nervous or you want to try something new on your own — like anal play — do it solo.

10. Enhancing sex 

You’re the one who knows your body best. Why not share that knowledge? 

Exploring your desires and pleasure through masturbation helps you understand and communicate your needs during partnered sex. This enhances a healthy sex life and helps you build more profound, intimate bonds with your partners. 

Myths and side effects of masturbation

Masturbation is healthy, but there’s still a stigma behind it. And that stigma has led to dozens of rumors and myths. But news flash: Touching yourself won’t end the world. Here are a few of the most common myths and why they’re incorrect: 

• Vision loss: One of the most typical ideas about masturbation is that it causes vision loss. Thankfully, there's no scientific evidence to support this claim. 

• Hairy palms: Another odd myth that's been around for centuries is that self-pleasure causes hairy palms. This is nothing but an old wives' tale that dates back to the Dark Ages. It’s actually impossible to grow hair on your palms at all, no matter what you do in the bedroom.

• Infertility: Although masturbation does impact your brain chemicals, the happy hormones won’t affect your fertility. Masturbation cannot and does not impact a person's ability to conceive.

• Decreased sperm count: This is another misconception. The body continually produces sperm no matter how much someone ejaculates. While some research shows that optimal sperm quality occurs after a few days without orgasm, masturbation doesn’t notably affect sperm count. 

• Hormonal imbalances: While there's a myth floating around about masturbation causing hormonal imbalances, the opposite might actually be true. Orgasms may help regulate hormones like oxytocin and estrogen. 

• Acne: There's no scientific basis for the idea that regular masturbation causes acne. Breakouts are much more likely to depend on things like skincare and genetics. 

Elevate your solo sex with Quinn 

Is masturbation good? Science says yes. Masturbation is a wellness tool right at your fingertips. It offers incredible benefits for your mind, body, and spirit, and it's one of the best ways to get to know yourself sexually. 

Try Quinn to get started. It’s an audio erotica app made by women, for the world, with audio content that helps you set the mood across a diverse range of topics.  If you’re ready to experience the many benefits of masturbation, start here.

To access thousands of audio stories and guided masturbation sessions, download the Quinn app for iOS or Android.