By: Hafsatu Z Bangura
An intimate sexual relationship involves trust and being vulnerable with each other. Closeness f during sex is also linked to other forms of intimacy including emotional and spiritual intimacy.
Intimacy is a powerful connection that helps deliver mental and physical health benefits; it refers to a level of closeness where u feel validated and safe.
Four key types of intimacy are Emotional, Physical, Mental and Spiritual.
Intimacy is derived from the Latin word “intimus” which means inner or innermost in most romance languages; the word for intimate refers to a person’s innermost qualities as it allows people to bond with each other in a relationship.
Let’s talk about sex and with that let’s define sex
Sex involves the arousal of physical desire and physical response to a stimulus.
Is sex important in a relationship?
There’s no size fits all answer to this because everyone is different and what’s important for some may not be at all important for others, it ultimately depends on your personal beliefs, Physical desires, and the nature of your relationship, for me though heck it is important but let’s not divulge into this deeper.
Many people will say sex isn’t necessary as there may be reasons why people don’t want to have sex and this may include: having a low libido also known as sex drive living with an underlying medical condition, wanting to date for a longer period before having sex or being unmarried and wanting to abstain from sex before marriage.
However, this doesn’t mean that the relationship will be unhealthy and it’s certainly not a sign that your partner doesn’t love or value you, the bottom line is sexual activity isn’t necessary for a healthy relationship.
For other normal people, sex is an important part of a romantic relationship as many people want to have a sexual connection with their partner.
Sexual its exists on a spectrum, Asexual people experience little to no sexual attraction and usually don’t have sex, though each person is different whilst on the other hand all sexual people do experience sexual attraction.
Because there’s such a variety in our feelings about sex and our capacities for sexual attraction, we all have different approaches to sex.
Reasons why sex might be important to a relationship
It could be an opportunity to bond with your partner
An opportunity to show your partner love and affection
Doing so you might feel secure in your relationship if you are having sex often and boy sex is good
For pleasure and fun
Or trying to get pregnant and the lots of benefits that come with regular sexual activity
Sex offers a lot of benefits outside of pleasure and there are many reasons why having sex is for your brain, body and relationship itself.
Sex benefits include-Improving on your self-confidence, helping you connect with your own body in a pleasurable way, and helping you bond with your partner it could be a way of expressing love and care for them, and it relieves stress trust me it does.
Sex can be good for your body and physical health and researchers suggest that sex boost immune function as a 2004 study showed that people who had sex more frequently had better immune systems.
Sex can be a form of light exercise- 2013 studies showed that we get surprisingly good work put from having sex.
Improve heart health-2010 studies showed that having regular sex reduces the risk of developing heart disease.
Boost cognitive function- 2016 study showed that sexually active people aged 50-90 years old had a better memory.
Soothe headaches- studies also show that sex relieves migraines or cluster headaches and it’s true and effective.
This doesn’t mean that people who abstain from sex will become physically ill or struggle emotionally it means that people who have sex also see improvement in other areas these benefits shouldn’t guilt people into having sex if they don’t want to do so.
But sex isn’t the only way to have intimacy with your partner but a great form of intimacy it’s certainly not the only great way to be intimate with your partner, affectionate touch for example can be a great way to be intimate.
Some non-sexual forms of physical intimacy may include massages, kissing, cuddling or holding hands above all one thing is for sure sexual compatibility and intimacy is important in a relationship.
