by ΤThe very term “masturbation” made me feel uncomfortable. I grew up with devout Catholic Mexican immigrants who never shy away from discussing sex, and hence sexual health. Now, as a writer who is honest in her position on sexual positivity, I celebrate the term and practice. In fact, in the name of journalistic research, I recently tried to masturbate before going to bed every night for a week to see what, if anything, would happen. To my great joy, I found that I slept more peacefully than normal and I also got to know my body a little better.
Outside of the experiment, I do not follow a regular masturbation schedule. Instead, I tend to enjoy myself every time the urge arises, which has historically deviated quite irregularly – perhaps once a month or even once every six months. But because masturbation boasts a handful of wellness benefits, such as reducing stress and anxiety as well as boosting heart health, I was curious to know what differences I might notice after following it as a daily practice before the sleep.
Before my experiment, I consult two sex experts about their predictions and they suggest me to have more relaxation, better sleep, improved relationship with my body and to know what I feel good and what I do not. So, starting the week before masturbation, I’m excited for more than one reason.
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Remember what experts say during the week I masturbate before bed
While I have been masturbating all my adult life and have noticed that I tend to feel better right after that, I was not always aware of the benefits that practice offers. Maybe this is because at that point I had to perceive masturbation as only a quick way to orgasm. However, according to certified sex therapist Jaqueline Mendez, I could also think of masturbation-like meditation.
“Masturbation can also be seen as a practice of consciousness,” says Mendez. “When we masturbate as a practice of consciousness, it is not necessary to chase orgasm. “Sometimes you learn what the different touches on different parts of the body do for you.”
“Masturbation can also be considered a practice of consciousness.” —Jacqueline Mendez, certified sex therapist
To help me keep my masturbation practice cautious and seemingly more beneficial, sexologist Rebecca Alvarez Story recommends making some changes, the first of which is to reduce distractions. “This could be to make sure your phone is off, to make sure the clutter around your room has been removed, or to make sure you close the door,” he says. “It sounds like the basics, but just make sure you can focus on just yourself.”
Story’s second piece of advice is to make sure I am surrounded by things that motivate me to masturbate. That, he says, would be especially helpful in the days when I was Really I did not like it. “This does not have to be a specific object – it’s just anything related to the atmosphere,” says Story. Suggests having candles, aromatherapy, lubricants and stimulant oils available.
Finally, he says it usually encourages people to masturbate daily for more than a week. “I actually advise people to do this for two to three weeks, because this is the time it takes for the body to really start forming habits and really crave that intimacy on an ongoing basis. “But a week is a really, very good start,” says Story. Famous.
What happened during my weekly trip for my own pleasure
The first day, Friday, is easy for me to set the mood, according to the parameters of Story. I light some candles, go into the bathroom and then start my work. I decide to keep it old school and masturbate only with my hand instead of bringing one of my sex toys. This may be my favorite day of the experiment — perhaps because it was still young or because it was a weekend and I did not have to worry about going to bed at a certain time to wake up refreshed for work.
Relatively, I soon notice that it is becoming more and more difficult for me to concentrate the energy to masturbate after particularly long days at work, in the middle of my experiment. But I remember Story and Mendez telling me that I could also use this time to figure out what was good and not focus on any end points. For this purpose, one night, when I am so tired that I can not even get out of bed to get a sex toy – I decide to just use my hand to caress other erogenous zones on my body.
I start with the top of my head and go down through my face (which doesn’t really make me much), my neck (which I feel Good), my chest (which also feels good), my belly (which tickles too much to make it pleasant) and my thighs. The latest discovery, for my thighs, is my favorite because I did not know before that I could feel sensual pleasure there.
Although I did not have an orgasm tonight and a few other days that week, I was still able to fall asleep easier and sleep better than usual. This result was not necessarily a surprise, given the forecasts of experts and existing research, but it was certainly welcome.
Final thoughts after masturbating before bed for a week
During the seven days of masturbation before going to bed, I noticed that it was easier for me not only to sleep but also to stay asleep, something I both found difficult to do because I recently moved to a noisy neighborhood.
I also notice that I got to know my body better, which led me to a more positive relationship with my body image, something I struggle with. I have long realized that because I am not number two, my body would not feel good about anyone else. But as soon as I really ran my hands under my body in the middle of the experiment, I realized that really He made I feel good — smooth, soft — and that I did not think about how my body was. This observation helped me to feel less aware of how others might perceive me during sex.
One unexpected result I noticed, however, was that while waking up in a better mood, I was actually a little more tired throughout the week of masturbating before bed. However, this was not exactly a surprise for Story. “Your body that has an orgasm every day presents a new natural stimulus that you add to your week,” he says, stressing that this could have led to less energetic energy on my part.
But while the habit would have helped me continue to reap these good benefits and ultimately made me feel more relaxed, I probably would not do it again in such a planned way. That said, I make a concerted effort to start masturbating more regularly, even if it is not daily.
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