Study Finds Masturbation Eases Menopause Symptoms

A new study published in the journal Menopause reveals that masturbation can serve as an effective strategy for alleviating certain symptoms associated with menopause, particularly among perimenopausal women, though discussions about it remain rare in medical consultations.

Researchers from the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University surveyed 1,178 women aged 40 to 65 across the United States, drawing from a demographically representative sample to assess their experiences with menopause and various management approaches. The findings, detailed in the study led by Justin Lehmiller and colleagues, highlight masturbation's potential benefits for mood, sleep, and other issues, based on self-reported data. Nearly 14 percent of perimenopausal participants indicated they already used regular masturbation to manage symptoms, rating it highly effective with an average score of 4.35 on a five-point scale. This placed it above many lifestyle interventions, such as exercise (3.89), relaxation techniques (3.94), diet changes (4.06), and supplements (around 4.0), though slightly below hormone therapy (4.2).

Among perimenopausal women who masturbated, 46 percent reported improvements in at...