If you’re on the fence about actually purchasing a sex toy, now is the time to invest. The sex toy market is booming for a good reason. Frequent use of sex toys has been shown to increase both male and female sexual pleasure, but they’ve also been shown to have a number of other benefits. Check out these 7 surprising ways sex toys could (or should I say, will) make your life better. 

• Self-Discovery

Sex toys are the most empowering tool in a self-love arsenal. 

Masturbation is no longer a dirty word. If you aren’t regularly working to discover yourself sexually, you are doing both yourself and your partner a disservice. You’ll never be able to have the intimate sex of your dreams if you’re not comfortable with yourself. 

Sex toys allow for this self-discovery in a low risk and creative way. Sure, you can use your hands, but trust the reviews of some of the top sex toys on the market; they can do it better. Sex toys these days can help you learn about your body. If you haven’t ever orgasmed, try a clit pulsing sex toy. If you don’t know what a G-spot is or what it feels like, check out a rabbit vibrator. And if you’re ready to explore your back door, see what a butt plug can do for you. If there is something about your body you want to learn, there’s a sex toy made to help you out. Female sexual pleasure can really be as easy as having the right tools. 

• Increase sex drive.

The more sex you have, the higher your sex drive. It’s as simple as that. Because of this, sex toys actually work to help you increase your sex drive by letting you take part in sexual pleasure more often. In fact, many who struggle to find female sexual pleasure forget that one of the biggest strategies is just to engage in sexual play more often. 

If you’re struggling to get excited with your partner, take some time to purchase a sex toy that you’d feel comfortable using frequently. You can shop alone if you feel more comfortable or with a partner. There are even sex toys for couples to use together. Once you purchase and have it safely in your hands, simply using it will help your sex drive. The more often you use it, the more your sex drive will skyrocket. If you’re ready to branch out to partner play, try using it before a sex session but leave yourself without an orgasm. Sex toys allow you to take some control over your foreplay and then gradually lean into more intimate sex with your partner. 

• Sleep better

It has been shown that sex helps everyone get a bit more shut-eye. Some of the oxytocin released when you orgasm helps naturally soothe your body into sleep. The tremendous release of an orgasm is a great way to feel truly at ease and ready for a good night’s sleep. Sex toys make this all so much easier. 

If sex seems like a big production and it’s a late-night, using sex toys and masturbating or partaking in mutual masturbation is a great way to release an orgasm without the hassle of sex. Some sex toys are discreet and allow you to find pleasure with your pajama pants still on. You can save the fancy stuff and long foreplay sessions for the weekend but still get the release of an orgasm to help you get some weekday shut-eye with a good sex toy. Forget being tired on a Thursday morning after an hour-long sex session; take care of yourself and your needs for sleep with an efficient sex toy.

• It’s an easy exercise.

The benefits of exercise are innumerable. Reduced heart disease, lowering blood pressure, alleviating mental health issues, reducing rates of obesity- exercise can really do it all. And the great news? Sex really is great exercise. And while more elaborate sexcapades probably burn more calories, even just using a sex toy can help turn up your heart rate. 

Just one masturbation session can burn 80 calories or more depending on your specific body and the intensity of the session. Sex toys can expedite that heart pumping, rapid breathing, energy expenditure for you. While you won’t be getting all the benefits of a more intense session, you’re still doing something positive for your body.  

• They help relieve pain.

Before you pop another ibuprofen, consider opening up your sex toy drawer instead. A good sex toy session can significantly impact how your body experiences pain and act as a natural pain reliever. In fact, the oxytocin and endorphins released from an orgasm have been shown to have protective qualities against heart disease and cancer. Endorphins specifically work to minimize potentially overactive pain receptors and help you feel more comfortable.

Headaches, muscle aches, and more can be helped with sexual release. Unfortunately, that same pain can sometimes make us resistant to engaging in sex with our partner or from exerting too much energy. That makes sense. Some intense sessions can be quite the energy withdrawal. With a sex toy, you can get all the positive pain-relieving benefits from your orgasm without the stress. Sex toys are just another thing to keep in your arsenal of pain relief strategies. 

• Mutual masturbation can help build intimacy.

Masturbating with your partner can be an incredibly effective relationship-building strategy. While we learn to care for one another sexually, it can help to watch and notice what it looks like for them to enjoy their own body. In fact, you’ll end up having more intimate sex more often if you do. If you’ve struggled with intimacy in your relationship, mutual masturbation offers a great in-between step to help you learn how to share your pleasure with your partner and still have it be on your terms. 

Sex toys make for efficient and enjoyable mutual masturbation sessions. Picking a sex toy with your partner can also be a fun, connecting experience. You can spend time together shopping online and talking about the different features. You both may find something you like on your own, or you could find one of the many sex toys for couples. If your partner is quick to find an orgasm without a toy, sex toys help you keep pace with them so you can get closer to enjoying their release with them. 

• Unlock kinks and fetishes.

The world of kinks and fetishes is vast and wide. With the internet, the list of kinks out there seems to be growing every day. However, it can still be challenging to share some of these intimate desires with your partner. Sex toys offer a great way to casually integrate some elements of kink into your sex without scaring anyone away.  

Many sexual fetishes start with a sex toy. For example, if you’re into anal play, butt plugs are a natural baby step to help you expand into that arena. If your tastes are more into the BDSM side, having a high-quality breathable ball gag might be the perfect thing to help your partner find comfort in your fetish. Sex toys open the door to a wide world of new potential sexual interests. While it may be overwhelming to dive into a full-blown kink lifestyle, sex toys allow you to keep the curious spirit alive in your relationship.

So if you haven’t yet, make sure you invest in a sex toy. We spend so much money on good food, nice sheets, and beautiful haircuts. The least we can do is also treat ourselves to all the benefits that a sex toy can give us too.