Menstrubation: Why It’s Time to Swap the Heating Pad for a Vibrator
A fancy bit of word blending there, right?! For those of you that haven’t heard the term, you’re no doubt wondering what the hell menstrubation is. In a nutshell, menstrubate is to masturbate when you’re in the PMS trenches. Recent studies show that menstrubation maybe even more effective at reducing menstrual-related discomfort than your conventional heating pad + pain reliever + Netflix approach.
First, let me say hallelujah for studies centered on women’s hormones and bodies; we need all the focus and inclusion we can get. Historically women have largely been excluded from studies for precisely the reason we need attention- because our hormones are fluctuating throughout the month, and our bodies function vastly different than men. So a lot of the stuff you read about exercise and diet…you guessed it, studied on men’s bodies and maybe not-so-appropriate for your body.
What is menstrubation?
I digress; let’s get back to the topic at hand, menstrubation. The brands’ Womanizer and Lunette teamed up to create a study in 2020 to see if masturbation could help ease period pain. They followed 341 menstruating women aged 18-49 from various demographics for three months. The participants refrained from taking pain medications for their period symptoms and only used masturbation for pain relief.
After the initial three-month period, the participants returned to their previous pain relief methods for one month. They reported their symptoms again to determine if there were any long-term benefits associated with masturbation to ease period pain.
Promising results
Here’s what the study showed:
43% of the participants said medication addressed period pain best
42% said solo sex combatted period pain best
90% overall said they’d vouch for masturbation to combat period pain
Why Menstrubation works
Let me share some science-y facts to back all of this up.
We know that orgasms increase blood flow to the uterus, which helps relieve the pain accompanying uterine contractions, aka cramps, during your period.
Orgasms also release a cascade of feel-good chemicals and hormones like dopamine, endorphins, serotonin, and oxytocin associated with improved moods, pain reduction, better sleep, and relaxation.
In conclusion
Perhaps you were taught that being sexual while bleeding is wrong.
I want to gently encourage you to examine any narratives that might be suppressing your expression at this point in your cycle and remember that periods and sex are 100% natural and an integral part of being human.
It’s your body, and you get to decide what feels good and when it feels good. And perhaps it might be time to throw a little Netflix + vibrator into the monthly mix ;)
Next steps
If the idea of working WITH your body’s natural ebbs and flows resonates with you, I invite you to explore my unique membership program - The Period Yogi.
I weave together a Western and Eastern (Traditional Chinese Medicine) approach to menstruation and the uniqueness of the female body to create customized movement practices to specifically target and support the four distinct phases of your cycle. Our classes support your changing needs throughout the month to optimize your FLOW.