Better-Sex Homework You'll Actually Enjoy

Sneak in a Quickie—with Yourself

Married women often don't talk about their solo sexual adventures the same way single women do, but the 2010 National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior found that about 47 percent of partnered women age 30 to 49 masturbate (compared with around 65 percent of partnered men the same age)—and this benefits women as well as their partners. Research shows that women who report self-pleasuring score higher on a self-esteem index and have higher levels of sexual satisfaction than women who don't. Berman says that regular masturbation flushes blood into the area to keep the tissues plump and healthy. "The more sex you have—even with yourself—the better your genitals work, and the easier you find it to become excited," she says. Think of your midweek "alone time," when you're away on business or your husband is stuck at the office, as a mini-workout to keep you in shape for that weekend's long run.

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