BEDROOM SPORTS; THE SPORTS GUIDE TO BURN CALORIES IN BED

Did you know that during lovemaking, just like during an intense workout, almost the same things happen in your body? Endorphin, dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, phenylethylamine : all these hormones are released in your body to give you pleasure, relaxation, and also that sweet desire to come back for more! Although we talk about bedroom sports, sex is not. Sport is defined as “physical activity carried out in the sense of play and effort, and the practice of which requires methodical training and respect for rules,” except that the only rule in sex is consent (it never hurts to remember that).

That said, your lovemaking is indeed a physical activity in its own right, during which you'll burn calories, engage a range of muscles, and also call upon your flexibility. We already knew it was sensual, liberating, and emotionally rich. But sex, when it's incorporated into our exercise routine, also becomes a true health ally, capable of rivaling more than one sports class. Between bursts of endorphins and muscle contractions, here's why your lovemaking might just be worth a Pilates session... a very private version.

Let’s discover together the benefits of bedroom sports for your health

• Sex is good for the heart: And this isn't a metaphor. According to a 2010 study conducted by the University of Bristol, a fulfilling, regular, and active sex life can significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Why? Because during intercourse, the heart races (up to 130 beats per minute), blood flow accelerates, and blood pressure fluctuates. It's a wild stair climb, a race in the sheets. A cardiovascular workout where orgasm is the culmination of an effort that's anything but monotonous. Want to know more about this heart that beats for love? Dive into our article "Heart, cardio, sexuality: is love mortal?"
  
  
• Sex is perfect for learning to breathe and enjoy better pleasure : During lovemaking, your breath doesn't just follow the rhythm: you inhale, exhale, and hold your breath. Breathing becomes a real lever of control and intensity. These breathing cycles naturally harmonize with the intensity of the moment. This active, deep, irregularly controlled breathing oxygenates the tissues, releases chest tension , and promotes better lung capacity. Making love, therefore, is about bringing a new breath into the body, a warm, sometimes panting, always beneficial breath that connects you to your body and your pleasure in a deeper way. In practices like edging, this technique that consists of delaying orgasm to increase pleasure tenfold, breathing plays a key role. By slowing down and controlling your breathing, you guide your sensations, calm overly rapid rises, and prolong the pleasure with an almost hypnotic finesse. Breathe, enjoy… and above all, don’t forget to blow (in every sense of the word).
  
  
• Sex means less stress, more dreams and more sleep: Who hasn't fallen into a delicious sleep after an orgasm? This isn't a coincidence, nor is it a myth. In people with penises, testosterone and dopamine—those messengers of pleasure and reward—are in full swing during the act. But right after ejaculation, it's curtains and bedtime. The culprit? A subtle cocktail of neurohormones with both sedative and euphoric powers. Endorphins chase away pain, serotonin soothes anxiety, and oxytocin envelops you in a deep sense of trust and security. Then, in people with penises, prolactin, the hormone linked to sexual satiety, enters the scene, delivering a powerful uppercut to the brain and sending you straight to the post-orgasmic KO. The result: a calmed mind, defused stress, and a night as smooth as a caress. In short, sex is a 100% natural antidepressant, without a prescription, without side effects (except perhaps that irresistible urge to do it again and again). So, if you want to delve deeper into the mysteries of restorative sleep, its links with burning desire and a couple's libido, we invite you to discover our article "The impact of sleep on a couple's sex life" . Because after all, sleeping well also means loving well and vice versa.
  
  
• Sex is good for flexibility: More flexible, freer, more alive… Certain love positions, especially when inspired by the arts of movement such as yoga, Pilates, kung-fu or the Kamasutra, become true exercises in flexibility and grace. Deep stretching of the pelvis, sensual opening of the hips, discreet but powerful strengthening of the abdominals, fluid and loose mobility of the back… everything is there, depending on your creativity, your complicity and your cardio. Each muscle awakens, each fiber stretches to the rhythm of your creativity, your complicity, and, of course, your breathing. And the magic works especially as a couple: together, you cross unsuspected limits, without apparent effort, in a complicit gentleness and a shared intensity. Pleasure then becomes an invitation to expand your amplitude, to unearth new sensations, and to try new sexual positions even more dizzying . Beyond simple carnal play, these moments become rituals of freedom, where flexibility rhymes with lightness, and where each posture is an ode to vitality. The body becomes more flexible, the mind opens , and you are more alive than ever.
  
  
• Sex is a natural appetite suppressant: What we know for sure is that physical activity can temporarily reduce the feeling of hunger by modulating certain hormones. The proof: after sex, we sometimes feel hungry... but very often, we feel strangely full. This phenomenon, also observed after physical activity, is explained by the hormonal impact of pleasure on our metabolism. The production of ghrelin (the hunger hormone) decreases, while that of leptin (the satiety hormone) increases. Does that mean that sex makes you lose weight? Not really. But it regulates appetite, curbs compulsions, and soothes emotional cravings . It's one more step towards a peaceful relationship... with food, and with your body. A sex-based diet? Hmm, sorry, but that's not yet on the nutritionists' menu.
  
  
• Sex builds muscle and burns calories: What if your bed became your gym? Arms, back, abs, thighs, glutes... almost every part of your body is used during sex. Of course, as with any workout, the results depend on the duration, frequency, and also the position used. How many calories do you lose during sex? Sorry to disappoint, but sex won't be your go-to activity for burning thousands of calories. According to a 2013 study in Montreal, a man burns an average of 101 calories during a 30-minute session, compared to 69 for a woman . Not enough to compete with jogging or swimming a few laps in the pool! That said, some positions require more effort. We'll tell you more in the second paragraph.
  
  
• Sex makes you sweat and makes you irresistible: Physical perspiration, the new natural aphrodisiac scent : Far from the dictates of sanitized freshness, perspiration, especially during physical or sexual activity, plays an essential role in the game of desire. By stimulating blood circulation and perspiration, movement naturally intensifies sweat production. This sweat can become a true weapon of seduction. Because yes, our sweat glands release a complex mixture of pheromones, fatty acids, and volatile compounds that tell, in their own way, the emotional, hormonal, and physiological state of a body. These invisible molecules play a role in sexual attraction. Neuroscience studies have shown that certain molecules emitted by human sweat can influence attraction, modulate mood, and even activate specific areas of the brain linked to arousal. It is this raw and instinctive scent, specific to each person, that shapes a part of carnal intimacy. A warm neck, a damp torso, living skin... so many sensory territories where smell enhances touch. But if this olfactory signature can be disturbing, it can also, in certain cases, turn into discomfort, particularly in the genital areas, such as the glans or the vulva. Urine residue, excess sebum or unbalanced flora can cause less desirable odors. In this case, intimate hygiene remains your best ally: suitable wipes , gentle washing without harsh soap, or intimate perfume tested under gynecological supervision . To better understand this phenomenon, read our article "My penis smells bad: everything you need to know about glans odors." And for specific advice on male intimate hygiene, read "How to wash your penis? Our advice for taking care of your intimate area ."