Does sex help when you are sick with a respiratory infection like a cold or the flu? As it turns out, it can-but only for the short term. Sex triggers endorphins that may provide temporary relief from symptoms, but those symptoms will come back quickly.
Having sex won’t cure you or shorten your cold, flu, or other respiratory infection, and it may even make it more likely that you’ll pass your illness along to your partner.
This article looks at the risks of sex during a respiratory infection, when you’re contagious, and what to consider for your partner’s benefit.
There’s no evidence that having sex when you’re sick will cure a respiratory infection or shorten its duration. Sex does make your body release endorphins, which can temporarily make you feel better.
Sexual arousal may also temporarily relieve a stuffy nose. This is because adrenaline makes blood vessels constrict. Reducing blood flow to vessels in the nasal passages and sinuses can help you breathe better. These effects don’t last very long, though.
Can You Sweat Out a Cold With Sex?
Sweating releases feel-good endorphins that, combined with the endorphins released from having sex, may make you feel better temporarily. However, there is no evidence that sweating can help you recover faster from a cold or significantly improve your cold symptoms.
There are risks to having sex when you’re sick, for both you and your partner. Unless your illness is minor and your partner is okay with the risk, it’s best to wait until you are well before you have sex. Continue reading “Does Having Sex When You’re Sick Make You Feel Better?”