Just when you thought sex couldn’t get any more awesome, along comes another great reason to get it on: helping hangovers!

Having sex releases oxytocin, a hormone that is thought to help control pain. According to a 2013 survey, 60 percent of people with migraine headaches reported pain relief if they got busy during an episode. It’s really a no-lose situation: even if your hangover-induced headache doesn’t disappear, at least you’re getting a workout. Three cheers for multitasking!

The benefits of sex for men

Sex is the gift that keeps on giving in these healthy ways:

Mood booster

The image of a guy smiling and whistling after getting laid is universal for a REASON. For one thing, the oxytocin hormone promotes feelings of happiness and wellbeing and fights depression. Indeed, a 23-year study of 30,000 men and women found that having sex at least once a week was enough to make people happy.

Fun way to exercise

Exercise has the same positive effect as sex. Even better, the wild thing IS exercise. Research reveals that guys burn an average of around 100 calories during 25-minute sack sessions. The longer and more vigorous the sesh, the more calories you’ll burn. Studies have also shown that being on top is a better workout than being on the bottom. (If you’re more of a sideways man, you’ll have to do your own research.)

The wango tango’s repetitive thrusting motions are also great for strengthening the muscles in your buttocks, back and legs, which just happen to be the muscles that may have lured your mate into bed in the first place. Coincidence? We think not!

Fights prostate cancer

Not that guys need any encouragement to show themselves some love—if you catch our drift—but researchers are looking into the link between ejaculation and reducing guys’ chances of contracting prostate cancer. Whether it’s through masturbation or sex, some research indicates that it may help flush out your system, clearing away harmful chemicals that might build up in semen. That being said, to see any difference, you’ll be looking at around 21 times a month. Good times!

Keeps you sharp as you age

British researchers have found that sexually active guys aged 50 to 89 had increased cognitive function or brainpower than men who rarely bisected the triangle.  

Helps your heart

sex helps hangovers

After tracking the sexual activity of middle-aged men over a 16-year period, a Massachusetts study found that guys who have sex twice a week or more have a much lower risk of a heart attack than those who have sex once a month or less. Science for the win!

Works as a sleep aid

Along with oxytocin, the relaxing prolactin hormone is also released during pelvic pinochle. That’s why many guys sleep better after sex. At the same time, getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night—the ideal “sleep window” established by the National Sleep Foundation—is an awesome way to boost your sex drive. You know what else helps you sleep better? Cutting down on your booze intake!

Have you found something that eases hangovers? Help your buddies out in the comments below!

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