According to the researchers, sex’s blood pressure-lowering effect has to do with the concoction of feel-good hormones that get released during sexual activity and orgasm, namely, oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin, all of which can influence how relaxed, happy, and stress-free you feel, leading to the lower blood pressure readings.
Oxytocin, also referred to as the “love hormone” or “cuddle hormone,” enhances pleasure and contributes toward feeling relaxed, connected, and stress-free with your partner. Oxytocin levels rise in your body when you’re hugging someone you love or during an orgasm. Dopamine is the hormone that gives you a sense of pleasure, while serotonin is associated with things like sexual desire, mood, and sleep. Sex therapist Marty Klein told AARP that regular and loving sex is similar to a full-body massage that offers deep relaxation and is used to treat conditions like pain, asthma, arthritis, and high blood pressure.
How you feel mentally has an effect on your blood pressure, according to a 2022 study published in Biomedical Engineering Online. “We reviewed 12 studies on people with anxiety, depression and panic disorders and found that, regardless of age, mental illness is significantly associated with greater blood pressure variations during the day,” explained one of the researchers, Renly Lim (via the University of South Australia). In addition to the mental health and blood pressure connection, some think that the physical activity that comes with sex could lead to better blood pressure readings too.