Masturbation improves mental health for 24% in the UK, Lovehoney research reveals

With 62% in the UK masturbating at least once per month, Lovehoney research revealed the main reasons for masturbation are relaxation, increased sex drive, and better mental health.

To find out how masturbation makes the UK feel as well as discover if they are comfortable discussing ‘me-time’ and sex toys with friends and partners, Lovehoney surveyed 2,000 sexually active people.

The findings suggest that two thirds masturbate at least once per month with one in five masturbating several times a week. Men are twice as likely to masturbate more than once a day compared to women, while almost 3 in 4 (71%) of single Brits masturbate once a week or more, compared to around 60% of those in new relationships and 51% of people with long-term partners.

Almost 60% of the UK find masturbating relaxing and is the main reason why they do it, followed by the fact it helps with orgasms (40%) and it turns them on (31%). A quarter of respondents (24%) said masturbation also helps with mental health, while 88% feel content or happy after masturbating.

Almost 2 in 5 across the UK use sex toys to masturbate, but 60% of men have never tried a sex toy compared to just 26% of women, demonstrating a clear gender divide in sex toy use.

The secret spot for keeping sex toys for the majority of Brits is the underwear drawer, with 40% opting for a hiding place, followed by a shoebox (15%), inside gloves (11%), and inside a pair of socks (10%). However, 40% of survey respondents said that they wouldn’t mind seeing a friend’s sex toy, with 1 in 4 people saying they would make a comment about it.

The majority of people in the UK (40%) don’t tend to talk about their sex lives with friends, but 1 in 5 people (26%) do joke about it. The younger you are, the more likely you are to discuss it, with 34% of participants aged 18-34 stating that they enjoy talking about it, versus 10% of people aged 45-54.