Everyone knows how amazing sex and orgasms feel, but we don’t always know what benefits orgasms have for our bodies. Humans are sexual creatures—we are one of the very few organisms that have sex for pleasure as well as reproduction.

First off, sex lowers the rates of depression and eases tension. So say you’re stressed to the max about midterms, or your job or both—having an orgasm releases all sorts of endorphins that make you happy and calm you down.

Another likely side effect that occurs after your orgasm has calmed you down? The desire to sleep. This is due to the sudden drop of blood pressure after an orgasm; thus, your body has a sudden sense of drowsiness. So ladies: Don’t get mad at your boyfriend if he doesn’t want to cuddle after sex—blame biology.

Who needs Botox when you’re having lots of sex?! The hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) repairs tissues on and in your body that keep you looking young. Also, not only do orgasms help our bodies stay young, they make our brains stay young, too. Research has shown that orgasms boost memory, which can help ward off Alzheimer’s. Sex has also been shown to battle breast cancer. Stimulation of the breast tissues stimulates the cancer-fighting hormone oxytocin, which helps fight off cancer-causing cells.

So you woke up late this morning and didn’t have time for the gym? Don’t you worry—30 minutes of sex can burn over 85 calories, and that doesn’t even include foreplay. Sex can also help cure the common cold, boosting your immunity like regular exercise. And lastly, orgasms can help with headaches and mild pain. The endorphins released during an orgasm act as a natural morphine for your body.

So now you’re asking, “What are the negative effects that sex and orgasms can have on your body?”

The answer: absolutely none. Research has shown that safe and consensual sex can only have a positive effect on your mind and body. So for your body, mental health and well being—go have sex, and just think of how healthy you’ll be after.