The regions of the face that redden during sexual stimulation also slightly heat up during innocent social interactions, a new study has revealed.
For the study, Amanda Hahn and colleagues at St Andrew's University in Fife, UK, used a heat-sensitive camera to map small changes of temperature in the faces of young heterosexual women while an experimenter touched them with an instrument they were told was measuring skin colour.
Touching the palm or elbow had no effect, but contact with the cheek or top of the breastbone raised the temperature around the eyes, mouth and nose by 0.2-to 0.5 degrees centigrade on average, and by a full degree in certain spots.
An earlier study had found this area heats up in sexually excited men.
The female subjects reported few or no feelings of excitement or embarrassment, but their facial temperature rose more when the experimenter was a young man.
"What is surprising is the magnitude," New Scientists quoted Hahn as saying.
Have you ever heard that song called Sexual Healing? It's not just a metaphor. Sex can actually heal. It can heal your body and mind and prevent lots of diseases.
Some say it's the first medicine ever known to man and it should be administered daily. Sounds too good to be true? Let's discover the four reasons for which a man should have sex each day.
Great form of exercise Making love is a form of physical activity. During intercourse, the physiological changes in your body are consistent with a workout. You must have noticed that the respiratory rate rises, which means you get tired. Hence, you burn calories. If you have sex three times a week for 15 minutes (but we know you can do better than that) you'll burn about 7.500 calories in a year. That's the equivalent of jogging 75 miles! Heavy breathing raises the amount of oxygen in your cells, and the testosterone produced during sex keeps your bones and muscles strong.
Pain relief The "Honey, not today, I have a headache" cannot be an excuse any more. During sex, both male and female bodies produce endorphins, hormones that act as weak painkillers. A study conducted by Gina Ogden showed that during sexual stimulation and especially during climax, we don't feel pain. If she finds another excuse, remind her that sex is good for her entire reproductive system, because it trains the PC muscle, which keeps the reproductive organs in shape. In women, sex can also increase fertility, postpone the menopause and relieve PMS symptoms.
Prostate protection Most of the fluid you ejaculate is secreted by the prostate gland. If you stop ejaculating, the fluid stays in the gland, which tends to swell, causing lots of problems. Regular ejaculation will wash those fluids out and ensure the well being of your prostate until old age. Problems may also occur when you suddenly change the frequency of ejaculations.
Prevents erectile dysfunctions Fifty per cent of men older than 40 suffer from erectile dysfunctions and all young men fear the moment when they won't be able to get it up any more. The best medicine against impotence is...sex. An erection keeps the blood flowing through your penile arteries, so the tissue stays healthy. Plus, doctors compare an erection to an athletic reflex: the more you train the more capable you are to perform.
Stress relief It's a scientific fact: sex can be a very effective way of reducing stress levels. During sex your body produces dopamine, a substance that fights stress hormones, endorphins, aka "happiness hormones" and oxytocin, a desire-enhancing hormone secreted by the pituitary gland.
There is a best day for everything and Thursday is best for having sex, a new study has found.
Consumer magazine found that Monday is best for buying a camera, while Tuesday is the cheapest day to fly, with trips from Gatwick to Alicante in Spain being an average of 35 per cent cheaper than on a Friday.
Tuesday is also best for eating out as most restaurants do not get deliveries over the weekend, and having a barbecue, the Sun reported.
Wednesday is best for asking for a pay rise and going shopping as it is the least crowded day of the week in supermarkets.
According to researchers at the London School Of Economics, Thursday morning is best for having sex as natural cortisol levels, which stimulate sex hormones, are at their highest on this day.
Friday is for selling homes and getting married - traditionally weddings fall on a Saturday, but having your do one day earlier can knock down the price of the reception and ceremony by half.
Lastly Sunday is best for ending an eBay auction as online sellers generally have the best results when their deadline falls on the traditional day of rest.
