Masturbating too much is famously uncool, but according to a recent study that has the seal of expert approval, not masturbating enough comes with its own disadvantages...

Sex and relationship expert Tara Suwinyattichaiporn says going a long time without any kind of sexual release, either alone or with a partner, can affect both mental and physical health.

What do the experts say?

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Dr. Suwinyattichaiporn explained that intimacy, touch, and sexual release all play a role in emotional well-being. Without the aforementioned, some people may notice higher stress levels, anxiety, or even symptoms of depression.

She also added that cutting out masturbation entirely from one’s daily life can leave people feeling frustrated emotionally and physically, which in some cases may lead to more aggressive behavior.

A 2021 study substantiated that claim, finding that a lack of sexual release could increase aggression, violence, and even criminal behavior in some people. Researchers suggested it may be linked to built-up frustration or attempts to release tension.

There may also be physical effects, especially for men.

A study published in European Urology in 2016 found that men who ejaculated at least 21 times a month had a lower risk of prostate cancer than men who only ejaculated four to seven times monthly.

Researchers believe that may be because ejaculation helps clear out substances that can build up in the prostate over time. The Urology Care Foundation says regular ejaculation could help flush harmful chemicals from the body through semen.

How you masturbate can have a wide-reaching effect. Credit: wakila/Getty Images

For women, long periods without sexual activity have been linked to vaginal atrophy, where vaginal tissue becomes thinner and drier over time, sometimes causing discomfort.

Limited erections can also lead to health implications, experts claim

There can also be changes for men who rarely get erections.

Tobias Kohler from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine told WebMD: “If men don't do anything to maintain normal erections, they will get shortening of the penis.”

Researchers have also studied how abstinence affects testosterone levels.

In a small 2002 study from China, scientists tracked hormone levels in 28 men who stopped ejaculating for several days. Blood tests were taken daily throughout the study.

The researchers wrote: “The purpose of this study was to determine the changes in sex hormone level in men after ejaculation.”

They found testosterone levels stayed mostly stable between days two and five before rising sharply on day seven.

“We found that fluctuations of testosterone levels from day 2 to day 5 of abstinence were minimal. On day 7 of abstinence, a peak of serum testosterone appeared, reaching 145.7% of the baseline (P<0.01). After the peak, no regular fluctuation was observed.”

The study also noted: “Ejaculation was the premise and beginning of the 7 days' periodic phenomenon. If there was no ejaculation, there was no periodical changes in serum testosterone level. These results indicate that the periodic change in serum testosterone level is caused by ejaculation.”

Featured Image. Credit: wakila/Getty Images

The health effects of abstinence were revealed in a study into sexual inactivity.

Originally published in 2019, the study used the third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles on the British population to find why people may be sexually inactive.

It found that around 16 percent of men and 22 percent of women in the UK are sexually inactive, while other data reveals that over a quarter of relationships are sexless.

Some may choose to be celibate by choice, while others may want to do the deed despite having a partner who doesn't.

But does abstinence have an effect on your health at all?

What is sexual abstinence?

Dr Ali Novitsky, an obstetrician and the founder of Exercising Intimacy, explained what the term means.

“Sexual abstinence is a choice to refrain from engaging in any form of sexual activity. This may be due to personal, relational, cultural or religious reasons,” the medical professional revealed.

The Exercising Intimacy is a programme which encourages a deeper connection between partners through exercise and sex.

Some people may not be abstinent by choice. Credit:
Dmitrii Marchenko/Getty Stock Images

What are the effects of being abstinent?

According to The Social Organization of Sexuality, which reported on a survey of 3,432 Americans, a "sexless marriage" is defined as a couple who aren't engaging in sexual activity or are having sexual encounters which are few and far between.

But according to health experts, there are a number of emotional and physical effects which come with cutting out time between the sheets.

These can include:

1. Low mood
2. Change in hormones
3. Vaginal pain
4. Decreased longevity

Novitsky added: "Abstaining from sexual activity can have a variety of effects on individuals, both physically and emotionally."

She highlighted that "the most immediate effects" may be within your hormone levels, in a negative way.

"Regular sexual activity is known to boost the levels of certain hormones, like oxytocin and endorphins, which are associated with feelings of happiness and reduced stress," the expert explained, adding that abstaining from sex could lead to lower levels of these hormones in your system.

Your longevity could also be impacted, as the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology discovered that having sex at least once a week over the course of a year, was linked with a 10 per cent drop in heart disease mortality and a 44 per cent drop in non-heart disease mortality.

Menopausal or postmenopausal women could be at risk of suffering worsened symptoms in association with vaginal atrophy.

Having more regular sex results in your body releasing more feel-good hormones. Credit: andresr/Getty Stock Images

Benefits of regular sex

It can improve mental health, with studies suggesting that regular sex can lower anxiety levels and help deal with depression.

Regular sex can also improve prostate health, as a 2016 study revealed that men who ejaculated at least 21 times a month had a lower risk of prostate cancer, compared to those who ejaculated just four to seven times in the same period.

As for women, studies show that orgasms can strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, which lowers chances of incontinence in later life.

Men and women can benefit from regular sex when it comes to their immune systems, with one study showing that university students having sex once or twice a week had greater levels of an antibody known as immunoglobulin A.

Relationship satisfaction tends to be higher in couples who have sex regularly, though it can also lead to longer relationships.

One study found that frequent sex is linked to marital quality and less relationship strain, though more for men than women.

Featured image credit: Getty Stock Images

It would be fair to say that going through a dry spell when it comes to having sex can have a negative effect on you mentally. If you've ever had to endure a barren patch in the sack, you'll know that it leads to you constantly questioning how attractive you are and why no one wants to get freaky with you.

There's a multitude of reasons why you may stop having sex, whether it's due to a breakup, being unlucky in love or simply the fact that you've chosen to be celibate for a bit, it can happen to anyone. However, while you may think a sex detox is tough on the mind, it also has an impact on your body physically.

Of course, all bodies are different and everyone has different sex drives and needs, so all claims of this nature should be taken with a pinch of salt. However, these are the five side effects of not having sex for a while and most of them apply to women.

1. You may feel sad

Sex is all about getting intimate and having physical contact and if you're not getting that regularly, it could lead to feelings of sadness.

2. A woman's vaginal wall might weaken

This one applies to women and refers to the fact that reducing the amount of sex that you're having may lead to the walls of you're vagina weakening, leading to pain when engaging in intercourse.

3. Less lubrication

A decrease in estrogen levels could lead to the vagina struggling to lubricate itself properly.

4. Period pains

Having sex lessens your menstrual cramps, meaning the less sex you have, the more painful your periods may be.

5. Increased stress levels

According to the NHS, the more sex you have, the less stressed you are likely to be. So, if you suddenly stop getting freaky, it may lead to you being more stressed.

So there you go - not only is a dry-spell bad for your mentally, but it can also have some consequences on your body. In other words, get out there and get jiggy with it!

A former reality TV star has reignited debate around one of the most personal topics imaginable after revealing she gave up masturbation for a decade.

While health experts frequently talk about the upsides of self-pleasure, including research suggesting it may reduce the risk of prostate cancer, not everyone sees it as a harmless habit.

For Madison Prewett, known for her time on The Bachelor, the decision to stop was deeply personal and rooted in faith.

Speaking candidly on her Stay True podcast in 2025, Prewett opened up about her journey and what she described as a long battle with porn and masturbation.

"This has been a struggle," she said on her Stay True podcast in 2025. "This has been a huge part of my testimony, something I’ve struggled with since middle school.

"And thankfully, by the grace of God, and by the power of the Godly community and people around me, I have been free from porn and masturbation for... I don’t even know, 10 years?"

Her revelation has sparked fresh curiosity about what really happens when someone quits masturbating for good. Here are five key changes experts and personal accounts suggest you might experience.

What happens to your body when you stop masturbating

The first effects may show up physically, and not always in the way you might expect.

According to Dr Sharon Stills, writing for the Women's Health Network, orgasm plays a role in pelvic health for women. During climax, a woman's "uterus 'lifts' off the pelvic floor, increasing pelvic muscle tension and strengthening the entire region".

A 2015 study found that women who reported more frequent sexual activity tended to have stronger pelvic floors. That said, pelvic floor strength is not dependent on orgasm alone. There are other targeted exercises that can help maintain and build those muscles.

For men, the body may respond to long periods without ejaculation through wet dreams. Men who abstain for extended stretches are more likely to experience them as the body naturally releases built-up semen during sleep.

Your body changes when you refrain from masturbation. Credit: wakila/Getty Images

How quitting masturbation can affect your brain

The mental impact can vary widely.

Masturbation and orgasm trigger a release of dopamine, the neurotransmitter linked to pleasure and reward. Removing that stimulus can feel different depending on the person.

A 2022 study from Innsbruck University in Austria found that men who avoided masturbation and pornography for three weeks reported reduced fatigue and shyness, alongside increases in activity and self-control.

But the experience is not universally positive. An anonymous writer for InStyle documented her own attempt at abstinence and described some unexpected side effects.

She said she "developed a low-grade headache, felt an increase in my stress levels, and was so irritable that after a week of snapping at my co-workers, one of them finally yelled, 'WHY are you in such a BAD mood?'"

For some, clarity and control improve. For others, tension and irritability creep in.

The impact on dating and relationships

When it comes to intimacy, experiences also differ.

The same anonymous InStyle writer admitted that while skipping self-pleasure made her more short-tempered, it changed her experience with her partner for the better.

She said: "Because I was hornier, I was genuinely excited from the get-go during partner sex, instead of taking my usual 20 minutes to warm up and decide this was more fun than watching Project Runway after all."

On the other hand, some professionals argue that masturbation can actually enhance partnered sex. Sex therapist Melinda DeSeta wrote for Psychology Today: "Masturbation can help embrace body positivity. The more a person has a healthy experience exploring their erotic zones, and learning their pleasure principles, the healthier and sexier they will feel and appear to a partner."

In other words, abstinence may intensify desire for some people, while for others, self-exploration strengthens confidence and connection.

You may be more frustrated than normal. Credit: Filmstax / Getty

Does giving up masturbation improve focus and motivation

Supporters of abstinence often claim it sharpens concentration and builds discipline.

A male journalist writing for Vice said that going without masturbation for 21 days "turned my life around; I got work done, I kept my house clean, I finished off personal projects that procrastination had always forbid me from finishing."

However, Healthline reports there is no scientific evidence confirming that abstaining from masturbation directly leads to benefits like better focus or improved sleep.

Self-control is something that can be developed over time, but experts suggest it does not require eliminating pleasure entirely.

How abstinence can shift your view of sex

Stepping away from masturbation can also influence how someone relates to sex and intimacy more broadly.

Some people report feeling more in control of their urges. Others describe feeling disconnected, as though an important aspect of their identity has been dulled.

Not all health professionals believe abstinence is beneficial. Professor Jim Pfaus told Vice: "[Masturbation] is a great stress reducer - there’s evidence that having sex or masturbating can reduce our resting heart rate for up to 12 hours. Plus, it does our sex lives the world of good to learn our sexual rhythms.

"We connect [through masturbation] to the types of action that we see in erotic or pornographic visual stimuli. This feeds our sexual fantasies, which is an enrichment of our creative process.”

Ultimately, whether someone chooses to continue or quit masturbation is deeply personal. As Prewett’s story shows, for some it is tied to faith and community. For others, it is about physical health, mental clarity, or relationship dynamics.

The science suggests there is no universal outcome. The effects depend on the individual, their body, and their beliefs.

Featured image credit: Filmstax / Getty