No matter where you grew up, learning about the birds and the bees was pretty much the same: It was unexpected, probably involved a book, and necessitated an interaction with your parents that you’d prefer not to revisit.

It also involved a lot of reasons why you shouldn't be having sex. But now you're all grown up, so it's time to rethink some of what you learned.

The good news: Instead of going back to dear old mom and dad, Women’s Health has pulled together a comprehensive list of the mind-boggling benefits of hitting the sheets. From boosting your immune system to releasing aggression, here are the many ways it pays to play dirty.

One of my favorites: Number 9. Protect your pearly whites by stepping up to the mic. Semen contains zinc, calcium, and other minerals proven to fight tooth decay. (Only trace amounts, but who's counting?)

Ok. You can wipe that smirk off your face.

Apparently, spandex, neoprene, and goggles can help your love life. A small study has found that couples who compete in triathlons are compatible and supportive of each other. Researchers interviewed six married couples, who competed in the Ironman world championships and found traits that we mere mortals could aspire to. For starters, long hours of training cause the triathlete couples to hold a gender-neutral view of household chores. Basically, it's a 'whoever gets home first after a workout fixes dinner or feeds the dog' type of relationship. The athletes tend to work out at the same time, though not necessarily together, increasing the time they have to relax together. And how to spend money (new bikes!) and what to eat (more pasta!) are rarely points of friction between them.

The moral: It seems that shared priorities and passions, can lead to agreeable relationships.

Not to mention fun postworkout showers!

It's what most married men want to know – how to get more sex. But the answer may not be what they want to hear: do the housework.

Yes, according to a US study of family life, it seems that dusting, vacuuming and even taking out the garbage are the best ways to rekindle the marital flame.

I know what you're thinking. Don't some women still have sex (or even initiate it) whether the laundry is done or not? Apparently not. Especially if books like Porn for Women are any indication of what turns women on. It features hunky (but clothed) men doing household chores, making cups of tea, asking for directions, listening intently, and saying things such as, “I love a clean house!”, or “As long as I have two legs to walk on, you’ll never take out the trash”.

My best advice (for all you disappointed married men): Get the kids to do the chores! And, tell your wife that studies also show that exercise increases the libido.

View blog reactions

Seat belts? Check. Locks on your front door? Of course. An extra pack of altoids at your desk in case of garlic-just-before-your-hot-date scenario? Well, duh.

For you, life’s never been about opting out — but it is about backing yourself up. And that’s exactly the idea behind Alessi's condom box; this little metal box keeps your condom safe and crush-free in your pocket or wallet. Talk about safe sex.


It could probably even stop bullets (the box, not the condom), making you safe on all fronts. Because, hey, sometimes you’ve got to play it safe before you can play at all.