Expert explains why watching erotic TV shows is good for your health with surprising benefits
Topics: Mental Health, Film and TV, Sex and Relationships
Thomas Bamford
Featured Image Credit: Netflix
Topics: Mental Health, Film and TV, Sex and Relationships
Think watching Rivals or Bridgerton is a guilty pleasure? Think again.
Experts say tuning into steamy TV dramas could be doing your body and your relationship a serious favour.
While the sight of polo players stripping off and Rupert Campbell-Black working his way through Rutshire's finest might seem like pure escapism, doctors and sex coaches are making the case that erotic content on mainstream TV is far more than titillation.
Here's why your saucy tv binge could be the health hack you didn't know you needed.
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It turns out that watching people get hot and heavy on screen is enough to set off a real chemical chain reaction in your own body.
Speaking to the Telegraph, Dr Laura Clark, an NHS GP and co-founder of women's health clinic SHE Health, explains: "Watching programmes with explicitly erotic scenes automatically triggers our animal instincts and our body's hormonal response. Simply watching shows that feature intimate scenes is enough to flood your body with oxytocin, creating an overall sense of happiness, and significant benefits for your cardiovascular system."
Oxytocin, often called the "love hormone", is one of the body's most powerful feel-good chemicals, linked to lower stress levels, improved emotional well-being, and better heart health.
But that's not all. Racier dramas also trigger dopamine, the brain's reward chemical, which plays a central role in motivation, concentration, memory and mood.
"The brain releases dopamine when the body is in a natural state of arousal," says Dr Clark.
"Not only does this make you feel happier, but there are some surprising indirect benefits. Dopamine helps to prevent the stress that can lead to sugar cravings and a cycle of bad eating habits."
So your Bridgerton habit might be keeping your cortisol, and your snack drawer in check.
The benefits go even further when on-screen steam translates into real-life action. Regular sex has long been associated with lower blood pressure and reduced stress, two crucial pillars of long-term health.
Dr Clark notes that chronic stress is linked to elevated cortisol, increased fat storage, reduced bone density and higher inflammation throughout the body, a key contributor to serious conditions including cancer and diabetes.
Research has also linked a healthy sex life to reduced cancer risk, with one widely cited US study finding that men who ejaculated frequently were significantly less likely to develop prostate cancer.
"Sexual health is intrinsically linked to overall health," Dr Clark adds.
"A fulfilling sex life can have a positive impact on both physical and mental well-being, making it an important part of a healthy lifestyle."
Beyond solo viewing, erotic TV has a notable effect on relationships.
Sex coach Lucy Rowett points out that shows like Rivals stand apart from porn because the cast look like real people, different body types, different ages, all portrayed as equally desirable.
"Emily Atack, who plays Stratton, has a gorgeous, voluptuous figure, but her curves aren't the punchline to a joke," Rowett says.
"Her character is attractive and powerful; she isn't worrying about whether her tummy jiggles when she's naked, and that can give those watching the confidence to do the same."
That confidence boost, says Rowett, tends to ripple outwards, from the bedroom into everyday life.
For couples, watching erotic content together can also open the door to conversations about sex that might otherwise feel uncomfortable.
Psychotherapist Rebecca Goldie says mainstream dramas are uniquely useful here: "Shows like Rivals or Bridgerton are mainstream and all your friends are watching too, so they can make those conversations more accessible. Even if it doesn't lead to anything physical, just talking about sex with your partner is a reminder of that side of your relationship."