5 Things You Didn’t Know About Male Masturbation
We often joke about it, but men are not very good at talking about masturbation. Here are five important facts about the art of jerking off to get the conversation started:
1. Ancient Egyptians believed that masturbation was sacred
Not every religion considers masturbation to be a taboo. In fact, the Ancient Egyptians believed that the big bang was actually one giant act of self-love. In their mythology, the universe began when the god Atum pleasured himself. Egyptian priests would celebrate this momentous occasion by ceremonially jerking off into the Nile.
2. Almost all men do it
In the 1950s, Alfred Kinsey published a famous study on sexuality that estimated 92 percent of men masturbate. Other studies since have supported Kinsey’s findings, with figures up to 95 percent. Masturbation is not only the world’s most popular men’s sport, but it’s probably more popular than all other sports put together!
3. You do it most often in your late 20s
By the age of 15, around half of all men will be masturbating at least once per month. This figure rises when you’re in the second half of your 20s, with 68 percent of men aged 25-29 doing it more than once per month. We slow down over time, but never quite stop, with 48 percent of men over 70 masturbating at least once per year.
4. Having sex makes you more likely to masturbate
Popular culture likes to portray male masturbation as something for lonely guys who can’t get laid. Actually, the opposite is true. Studies have repeatedly shown that men who are sexually active masturbate more often than those who don’t. Even getting married doesn’t change things, with 70 percent of married men continuing to masturbate regularly. Masturbation is just a normal part of a healthy sex drive.
5. Masturbation doesn’t cause infertility or premature ejaculation
We’re long past thinking that masturbation causes blindness or hairy palms, but surely something that feels so good must be bad for you in some way, right? Lowered fertility and premature ejaculation are often given as potential side-effects.
Good news, guys: they’re not. First of all, you push out older sperm if you regularly “clean the pipes,” allowing for the release of healthier sperm and increasing your overall fertility. Secondly, it can actually help with issues like premature ejaculation if you spend some time getting to know your own body.
The trick is not just to beat it out, but to engage in real self-love. Like sex, the more you put into it, the more pleasure you’ll get from your solo sessions.
