Female masturbation: what research says about benefits, safety and myths

Short answer

Female masturbation is a common, normal part of adult sexuality, and research has not shown it to harm women's health. In a nationally representative US survey from 2021, about three in four women said they had masturbated at some point, and women who had done so in the past year most often named pleasure and arousal as their reasons, followed by stress relief, relaxation and help falling asleep (1). The research on benefits is real but thin: mostly surveys and small lab studies that show what women report, not proof that masturbation treats anything (2).

If you have wondered whether it is normal or "too much", you are far from alone in asking. It is not a moral failing and not a sign that something is wrong with you. Not doing it is also normal: among women in the same survey who had not masturbated in the past year, the most common reason by far was simply not being interested (1).

Note: this article explains what research and clinical guidance say about health and is not medical advice. It covers health questions only; it does not take a position on religious or moral views, which deserve respect. Pain, bleeding or injury needs a clinician, a sudden severe headache during sexual activity is a 911 call, and if you are having thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988.

Is female masturbation normal? How common it is

Yes. The best recent US figures come from the 2021 National Survey of Sexual Wellbeing, a probability-based sample that included 1,958 adult women; answers are self-reported, and the survey ran during the COVID-19 pandemic (1). It was funded by a telehealth company, which, according to the authors, gave feedback on survey drafts but took no part in data collection, analysis or writing (1).

• Masturbated in the past month — 36.5% (1)

• In the past year, not the past month — 21.5% (1)

• Last time more than a year ago — 18.7% (1)

• Never — 23.3% (1)

• At least weekly in the past year — 8.8% (1)

In an online survey of 425 German women with an average age of about 27, 94.5% said they had masturbated at least once (3); the authors note the results are limited to that group.

The range is wide, and none of it is the "normal" one. Women who had not masturbated in the past year mostly gave reasons of interest and values rather than health: 68.7% said they were not interested, 11.3% that it was against their morals or values, and 8.0% that it was against their religion; fewer than 5% said they thought it was bad for their health (1).

Female masturbation benefits: what are the benefits of masturbation for women?

Women commonly report pleasure, relaxation, stress relief and better sleep, and lab studies show measurable changes in the body around orgasm, but there are few controlled trials. A 2021 review of sexual health benefits put it plainly: it "cannot yet be proved that 'good sex promotes good health' since good health also favors good sex" (2).

For how sexual health connects to the rest of your health, see our article on sex life as a vital sign.

Does masturbation help you sleep?

For many women it seems to, but the evidence is mostly what people report rather than what sleep studies measure. In an online survey of 778 adults run by Australian researchers, 55.8% of the women who answered said orgasm through masturbation before bed improved their sleep quality, 42.8% noticed no change and 1.4% said it got worse (4). In the US survey, 25.7% of women who had masturbated in the past year listed "to help me fall asleep" as a reason (1).

The only sleep-lab study we found is small and old: 10 adults, five of them women, were recorded after masturbation with and without orgasm and after reading, and the authors found no effect on sleep (5). That is a reason to say "many women find it relaxing" rather than "it improves sleep".

Part of the story may be hormonal. In a lab study of 10 women, prolactin rose after orgasm and stayed raised 60 minutes later (11); researchers have suggested such changes may help sleep along (4), but that has not been shown. Sleep problems have many sources; our article on women's libido, stress, sleep and the cycle looks at how they feed each other.

If sleep is the real problem, persistent insomnia, loud snoring with gasping, or exhaustion that does not lift are worth raising with a clinician.

Does masturbation help with stress?

Many women use it that way, but the physiology is more complicated than "it lowers stress hormones". In the US survey, 36.2% of women who had masturbated in the past year named stress relief as a reason and 25.8% named wanting to relax (1). In a mixed-methods study of 370 women, higher psychological distress went with more frequent masturbation on some measures, and many women described it as a coping and self-care strategy that brought happiness and relaxation; very few reported negative feelings (6).

What happens in the body is a short burst of arousal, not calm. In the laboratory study of 10 women, orgasm raised heart rate, blood pressure, adrenaline and noradrenaline; cortisol did not change, and prolactin stayed raised for an hour (11). The relaxation women describe comes after a brief spike.

One caution: in a cross-sectional survey of 930 men and women in China, those who masturbated most often had higher anxiety and poorer sleep scores than those who did so moderately (12). The design cannot show which came first; stress may lead to more masturbation as coping (6). When it is one of several ways you relax, there is no reason for concern; when it is the only way you get through the day, the stress itself deserves attention. Our article on sexual performance anxiety, stress and arousal covers how the two interact.

Can masturbation ease menstrual cramps or other pain?

Possibly, but we found no clinical trial testing it for period pain. The best evidence is a 1985 lab study: in two experiments with 10 women each, self-stimulation raised the threshold at which finger pressure became painful without dulling ordinary touch, and with orgasm the pain tolerance threshold rose by 74.6% (7). That is a lab pain test in tiny samples, not cramps.

Pain can also run the other way, and that matters more. In a clinic registry of 358 people with endometriosis, 14% reported pelvic pain that got worse with orgasm, and this was linked to pelvic floor muscle pain and central sensitization (13). If orgasm brings on or worsens pelvic pain, or if period pain is severe enough to disrupt your life, that is a reason to see a gynecologist, not something to manage with self-care. ACOG lists endometriosis, ovarian cysts and pelvic inflammatory disease among conditions associated with pain during sex (14).

Does masturbation help you understand your own body?

Yes, and this is the benefit with the most clinical backing. In the US survey, 12.5% of women who masturbated named exploring their own sexuality as a reason (1). In therapy for female orgasmic disorder, a 2021 review found that "the most consistent support emerges for directed masturbation, sensate focus, and psychotherapy" (8). Directed masturbation is a structured program guided by a qualified therapist, so we do not describe it here.

It does not compete with a partner, either. In a Norwegian probability sample of 4,160 adults, women's masturbation tended to go along with partnered sex rather than replace it (15). If desire in a long relationship has changed shape, our article on responsive desire explains why that is common.

Does masturbation strengthen or weaken the pelvic floor?

Neither has been shown. Orgasm does involve the pelvic floor: in a laboratory study of 11 women, most had a series of regular, synchronized pelvic muscle contractions near the start of orgasm (9). In a cross-sectional study of 140 women, those who were sexually active and those who had orgasms showed better pelvic floor muscle endurance (16), but that design cannot say which causes which.

No study we found shows that masturbation trains the pelvic floor or weakens it. For leaking urine, the approach with strong evidence is pelvic floor muscle training: in a Cochrane review, women with stress urinary incontinence who did it were eight times more likely to report cure than those with no treatment (17). A clinician or pelvic floor physical therapist can say whether it fits you.

What about masturbation in midlife and menopause?

Early research suggests some women find it eases menopause symptoms. In a demographically representative US survey of 1,178 women aged 40 to 65, nearly one in five peri- and postmenopausal women said self-pleasure had relieved symptoms, and it was rated among the most helpful strategies for mood changes and sleep disturbances (10). It was a single survey, funded by a sexual-wellness company (10).

If dryness has made sexual activity uncomfortable, ACOG notes that falling estrogen can cause it and that hormone therapy, lubricants or vaginal moisturizers may help; your clinician decides which, if any, fits you (14). Our articles on why desire changes with age and cortisol and libido in your 40s cover the wider midlife picture.

Is masturbation bad for women? Myths, checked

No. We found no research showing that masturbation harms women's physical health, and the most common worries do not hold up against the evidence.

• "It causes infertility" — No study we found links it to infertility. ACOG names ovulation problems as the most common cause of female infertility (18)

• "It disrupts the menstrual cycle" — We found no study showing it changes cycle length or timing

• "It weakens the pelvic floor" — We found no study showing harm; orgasm itself involves pelvic floor contractions (9)

• "It means the relationship is in trouble" — In Germany, 91.5% of women said they also masturbate in a relationship (3)

• "Doing it a lot means addiction" — Frequency alone is not a diagnosis (19)

Does female masturbation cause infertility?

We found no study linking it to infertility. ACOG names ovulation problems as the most common cause of female infertility, with age, lifestyle and health conditions as other factors (18). If you have been trying to conceive, ACOG's guidance is to seek an evaluation after a year of trying, after six months if you are older than 35, and to talk with an ob-gyn now if you are older than 40 (18).

Is female masturbation a sin?

That is a question for your own faith and values, and this article does not try to answer it; it covers health only. Many women hold religious or moral views about masturbation (1), and those views deserve respect. On health alone, we found no evidence that masturbation harms a woman's body. If a conflict between your values and your behavior is causing distress, a counselor who respects your faith may help.

How much masturbation is too much for women?

There is no medical number. The useful questions are about control and consequences: whether you can stop when you want to, and whether it is crowding out sleep, work, relationships or health.

ICD-11 includes compulsive sexual behaviour disorder (6C72): a persistent pattern of failing to control intense, repetitive sexual impulses or urges, over an extended period (the WHO gives six months or more as an example), that causes marked distress or significant impairment in daily life. Signs can include repeated unsuccessful attempts to cut back and continuing despite harm (19). ICD-11 also states that distress that is entirely about moral judgments or disapproval of sexual urges or behaviours is not enough on its own to meet the requirement (19). The American Psychiatric Association's DSM-5-TR has no diagnosis for compulsive sexual behaviour; a proposed "hypersexual disorder" was rejected for DSM-5, mainly for lack of empirical data (20). "Masturbation addiction" is a popular phrase, not a diagnosis in either manual (19, 20).

If you recognize the loss-of-control pattern, or masturbation has become your only way of coping, a licensed therapist with training in sexual health is the right next step. If you are having thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Is female masturbation safe? Hygiene, materials and lubricants

Yes, for most women it is safe. The practical risks are infection, skin irritation and, rarely, injury, and a few habits from gynecology guidance reduce them; none requires a particular product.

Clean hands and clean items. ACOG explains that during sexual activity, bacteria near the vagina can get into the urethra through contact with fingers or sex toys, among other routes, which can lead to a urinary tract infection (21). Bowel bacteria normally live on the skin near the anus (21), so anything that has touched that area should be washed before it goes near the vagina.

Materials matter, and cleaning has limits. In a small study of 12 women, HPV was found on vaginally inserted devices right after use in women who carried the virus. It was still detected on some immediately after cleaning; 24 hours later it was gone from the silicone device but still present on some samples from the thermoplastic elastomer one (22). An exploratory lab analysis of four products found endocrine-disrupting phthalates in all of them at levels exceeding hazard warnings, though the authors note four products do not represent the market (23). A practical reading: choose non-porous, body-safe materials, clean items after each use as directed, and replace anything cracked or sticky.

Sharing changes the picture. The CDC's STI treatment guidelines, in the section for women who have sex with women, note that HPV can persist on sex toys and say that avoiding shared toys, cleaning shared toys and using barriers might help (24).

Lubricant compatibility, in general terms. A 2025 clinical review notes that oil-based lubricants can damage latex items such as condoms, and silicone-based lubricants can degrade silicone devices, including sex toys and menstrual cups; for people prone to infections or irritation it recommends water- or silicone-based lubricants within recommended osmolality and pH ranges (25). ACOG's vulvodynia guidance advises avoiding lubricants with flavor or a cooling or warming sensation (26). In a US cohort of 141 women, using petroleum jelly inside the vagina in the past month was linked to 2.2 times the risk of testing positive for bacterial vaginosis (27).

Do not clean inside the vagina. ACOG advises against douching and suggests plain warm water for the vulva, because soaps can upset the vagina's normal balance (28).

Stop if it hurts. ACOG notes that contact dermatitis, a common vulvar skin reaction to irritants such as perfumed soaps, douches or lubricants, causes itching, burning and pain (14).

Red flags, next to the advice: burning when you urinate, urgency or cloudy urine needs a clinician; back pain, chills, fever, nausea or vomiting can mean a kidney infection, and ACOG says to call your ob-gyn right away (21). Bleeding or spotting after sexual activity is abnormal uterine bleeding in ACOG's guidance and should be checked (29). An item that cannot be removed needs urgent care.

Female masturbation: the questions people ask next

Is daily masturbation healthy for women?

Daily masturbation is not, on its own, a health problem, and no medical body sets a daily limit. ICD-11's compulsive sexual behaviour disorder is defined by a persistent loss of control that causes marked distress or impairment, not by frequency (19). If it fits easily into your life, nothing in the research suggests harm. If you feel unable to stop or are missing sleep or obligations, talk to a licensed therapist. Soreness or irritation is a reason to pause and, if it persists, to see a clinician (14).

Does female masturbation affect your period or menstrual cycle?

We found no research showing that masturbation changes the length or timing of the menstrual cycle. ACOG describes a typical cycle as 21 to 35 days, with bleeding lasting up to 7 days (29). Cycles outside that range, bleeding between periods, or spotting after sexual activity count as abnormal uterine bleeding in ACOG's guidance and should be checked by a clinician rather than put down to masturbation (29). Lab research shows self-stimulation can raise pain thresholds, but we found no trial testing it for cramps (7).

Does female masturbation burn calories?

Not much, and it has not been measured directly. The closest data come from 21 young couples whose energy use during partnered sexual activity was measured with an armband: women averaged 69.1 kcal per session, about 3.1 kcal per minute, compared with 213 kcal in a 30-minute treadmill session (30). That was partnered activity, not masturbation. It is not a substitute for exercise, and it does not need to be.

Can masturbation increase or lower your sex drive?

The research shows associations, not cause and effect. In the 2021 US survey, women who wanted partnered sex much more often than they were having it were 3.89 times more likely to report higher masturbation frequency than women happy with their current frequency (1). Desire and masturbation tend to move together, which does not show that one drives the other. If your desire has dropped in a way that bothers you, ACOG lists stress, fatigue, medications and relationship problems among the things that affect it (14).

What if I can't orgasm during masturbation?

That is common and not a failure. Female orgasmic disorder is defined as orgasm being absent, delayed, infrequent or much less intense in at least 75% of sexual experiences, lasting at least six months and causing distress; a 2021 review cites estimates of up to 28% of women in the United States (8). Among German women surveyed, 7.6% said they never had an orgasm during masturbation (3). If it bothers you, a sex therapist or gynecologist can help: psychological treatment has been shown to be effective, with the most consistent support for directed masturbation, sensate focus and psychotherapy (8). Mention any medications you take.

Why do I feel guilty or anxious afterward?

Many women carry messages from upbringing, religion or culture, and feeling uneasy afterward is common; it is not a sign that you did something harmful. In the US survey, 4.2% of women who had not masturbated in the past year gave "I feel bad about myself afterwards" as a reason (1), and in a study of 370 women, very few reported negative feelings associated with masturbation (6). If guilt or anxiety is persistent, a therapist who works with sexual health and respects your values can help you sort out what is yours and what you were taught. If distress turns into thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988.

Is a headache during orgasm dangerous?

It can be, the first time. The International Classification of Headache Disorders describes headaches brought on by sexual activity that can turn intense at orgasm, and says that on first onset "it is mandatory to exclude subarachnoid haemorrhage", as well as arterial dissection and reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (31). A sudden, explosive headache during or right after orgasm is a 911 call. Even when no underlying cause is found, up to 40% of cases run a chronic course over more than a year, so follow-up with a doctor matters (31).

When to see a doctor

See a clinician for pain, bleeding, injury, signs of infection, or distress you cannot shake. None of it is embarrassing to bring up; gynecologists hear about sexual health every day.

Go the same day, or call 911, for:

• a sudden, severe headache during or right after orgasm: 911 (31);

• back pain, chills, fever, nausea or vomiting with urinary symptoms: call your ob-gyn right away (21);

• an injury, heavy bleeding, or an item that cannot be removed.

Book an appointment for:

• frequent or severe pain during sexual activity (14);

• pelvic pain that starts or worsens with orgasm (13);

• bleeding or spotting after sexual activity, or between periods (29);

• vulvar burning, stinging or rawness that keeps coming back (26);

• itching, burning, odor or unusual discharge that does not settle (28);

• difficulty with orgasm or desire that distresses you (8).

For distress, lasting guilt or a sense of losing control, see a licensed therapist (19). For thoughts of self-harm, call or text 988.

How to bring this up with your doctor. Start with one plain sentence about the symptom: "I get pelvic pain after orgasm" or "I've had spotting after sexual activity." Bring a short note with dates, what you noticed, products in contact with the area (soap, lubricant, detergent), any new medication and where you were in your cycle. Ask: "What could be causing this?", "Do I need an exam or tests?" and "Should I stop using anything?" If sexual pain is dismissed, ask for a referral to a gynecologist or a pelvic floor physical therapist.

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How Welltory helps — and what it cannot do

The limits first. Welltory is a general wellness product, not a medical device. It does not diagnose, detect, predict, monitor, prevent, treat or mitigate any condition, including infections, pelvic pain, sexual dysfunction, insomnia or anxiety. It does not know what you did last night, and we are not suggesting you track masturbation. What it offers is a dated record of your evenings and nights, in your own words, next to numbers your wearable already collects.

You note the evening; the app is already recording. When Welltory flags a stress stretch or a rest stretch and asks "What happened?", you can tap a suggested tag, type a few words or just talk. Tags are your own words, so you choose how much to say: "relaxing evening", "me time", "couldn't switch off", "period cramps", "late screen".

Then look at the nights together. Sleep analysis, resting heart rate, HRV, stress minutes and Battery are recorded the same way every day. Put your tag beside the night that followed and you have a pair: what you noted and what was measured, against your own history rather than a population range. Stress minutes, sleep analysis and Battery need a supported wearable.

After two to three weeks of tagging, My Patterns has something to work with. It collects the tags you add to stress and rest stretches, so it needs iOS with an Apple Watch or Oura. Patterns appear at around seven tagged events in the current month, with some history from the month before. It shows which tagged situations tend to come alongside stress or rest, which rare tags hit your body hard, heart rate during episodes, and every time a tag occurred. Over time you see your own pattern, for example whether "couldn't switch off" evenings tend to come before shorter sleep: an association in your record, not a cause or a promised result.

That record is what you take to an appointment about sleep, stress or pelvic pain. The Journal (Premium) keeps your measurements, tags and notes, and from the Welltory web app you can export a CSV (Dashboard → choose a chart → Export). It is a record you made, not a conclusion the app reached; discuss any pattern with your doctor.

The red flags belong here too, in the same type size: a sudden severe headache during or after orgasm is a 911 call; fever, back pain or vomiting with urinary symptoms, bleeding after sexual activity, or pelvic pain with orgasm mean contacting a clinician, not adding a tag (31, 21, 29, 13). For thoughts of self-harm, call or text 988.

Where to find other people in the same situation. If you are also living with an energy-limiting condition, Welltory runs a paid, moderated community called Energy Lab for women aged 18 to 65 living with ME/CFS, long COVID, fibromyalgia, POTS, MCAS and similar. It runs alongside the app: you keep collecting your own data, and the Lab is where people learn to read it together, with a medical board answering the science. It is education and peer support, not medical care, it does not replace your clinician, and there is a 14-day money-back guarantee on a first purchase.

How we made it

Made with AI tools, then edited and fact-checked by the Welltory team. See our Editorial & AI policy.

Data analysis by Jane Smorodnikova, co-founder of Welltory and the person who built the methodology behind how we read physiological data.

Written by Tatsiana Yashyna.

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