Your doctor can’t prescribe this gentle relief for your stuffy nose, and you certainly won’t find it on drugstore shelves. A new study reveals that the best remedy for congestion is tangled in your sheets.
Scientists have long discovered that light to moderate exercise can temporarily relieve nasal congestion. Pumps, for example, can provide quick relief by opening your nasal passages and reducing inflammation that may affect them.
But current researchers have tested another form of cardio.
German researchers have found that having an orgasm clears up a stuffy nose as effectively as commercial decongestant sprays, according to a trial involving 18 brave couples willing to have intimate relations – strictly for scientific purposes.
The only device used during the “tests” was a handy nasal airflow instrument. Participants rated their breathing at home on a 10-point scale and measured airflow using a portable rhinomanometer. Readings were recorded just before intercourse, immediately after orgasm, and every 30 minutes, one hour, and three hours. Data is only retained if both partners reach their maximum satisfaction.
The next day, couples took a dose of xylometazoline — a standard over-the-counter decongestant spray — to see how the natural remedy compared to drugstore ones.
The results showed that reaching the large inlet allowed the sinuses to be opened with an air flow comparable to that of the nasal spray for up to an hour. Average airflow increased by 214 ml/s immediately after an orgasm and reached 249 ml/s after 30 minutes, before beginning a gradual decline to baseline levels.
The trusty nasal spray increased airflow by approximately 235 ml/s immediately and by 287 ml/s in 30 minutes. This relief lasted up to three hours.
Although a highlight may provide a more pleasant solution, the spray gains strength. The scientists also noted that bedroom therapy had only been tested on everyday congestion: No serious colds or serious sinus infections were cured under the covers.
Relief also depended on the subject’s initial level of congestion. According to the results of the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Assessment (NOSE) Questionnaire, people with major blockage experienced significant clearance after sex, while people with mild sniffles saw virtually no change.
Lead researcher Olcay Bulut suggested that a mixture of excitement and physical exertion work together to open the narrow airways.
The researchers recognized major limitations of couples self-reporting their pleasure and airflow measurements, so the team could not confirm whether the instructions were actually followed.
In 1897, the physician Wilhelm Fliess, a close friend of Sigmund Freud, was the first to establish a strange connection between the nose and the genitals. While modern researchers have debunked his wild theories, this study suggests that the physiological link between sex and sinus clearance may be legitimate.
Previous research shows that nasal airflow improves with exercise intensity rather than the duration of your workout. Which means that in this study, the duration of the “session” matters much less than simply finishing the work.
And for those who fly solo, researchers wonder whether personal enjoyment works just as well. The authors suggested future studies that would add comparison groups for masturbation and for sex without orgasm. If solo activity worked the same way, they write, it could offer a natural alternative to decongestants, a possibility that has not yet been tested.
Gn world
