Masturbation improves menopause symptoms for nearly 1 in 5 women, study shows

Masturbation improved menopause symptoms for approximately 20% of perimenopausal women and 19% of postmenopausal women, according to the results of a new Kinsey Institute survey published in Menopause. However, respondents reported that few doctors have recommended it to them.

A team of researchers, including Cynthia Graham, Ph.D., senior scientist at the Kinsey Institute, and gender studies professor, surveyed 1,178 women ages 40 to 65 about their experience with masturbation, their menopause symptoms and lifestyle factors. Approximately 23% of the women were perimenopausal and 56% were postmenopausal.

Researchers found that 46% of perimenopausal women reported that masturbation improved at least one of their menopause symptoms, including elevated mood (43%), increased sex drive (13%), improved sleep quality (13%), increased vaginal lubrication (11%), pain relief (8%) and hot flash reduction (3%).

Additionally, 57% of perimenopausal women reported they would masturbate more for symptom management if their doctor recommended it, compared with 40% of postmenopausal women.

Among postmenopausal women, 7% reported masturbation made their symptoms “a lot better,” and 11% reported masturbation made them “a little better,” while 80% reported masturbation had no effect on their symptoms.

Menopause symptoms, such as mood swings, sleep disturbances and genitourinary symptoms, can be extremely disruptive.

The researchers believe masturbation can address these issues in several ways.

A recent study showed that women use masturbation as a reliable self-care and coping strategy. It’s also been tied to improved sleep quality, specifically when it leads to orgasm. In the current study, mood swings were reported by 11% of postmenopausal women and 17% of perimenopausal women.

Sexual arousal also increases the amount of blood flow to the genitals, which maintains vaginal health and provides pain relief, especially when orgasm occurs.

The authors note that they are not advocating for masturbation as a replacement for menopause symptom treatment, but rather as a cost-effective, accessible strategy that can be combined with treatments such as hormone replacement therapy.

“Conversations about menopause often focus on hormone therapy or lifestyle changes, but self-pleasure remains overlooked,” Graham said in a news release. “Our findings suggest masturbation may play a meaningful role in symptom management.”

Menopause is a broadly understudied area of medicine, with one survey reporting that up to 90% of medical trainees feel unprepared to address patients’ menopausal concerns. Additionally, in a review of studies about aging, less than 1% mentioned menopause at all.

Overall, perimenopausal women were more likely to ask their doctor about menopause (50%), compared with 41% of postmenopausal women.

When it comes to masturbation, just 7% of perimenopausal women and 4% of postmenopausal women reported that their doctor talked to them about masturbation.

“Our findings suggest that self-pleasure is an important, but underused, self-help strategy for dealing with symptoms of menopause and, further, that nearly half of women in both earlier and later stages of menopause would be open to considering it,” Graham and her researchers write in the study. “While managing menopause is something that necessitates a custom solution for each woman based on her unique health and needs, doctors and other health care providers should be cognizant of the valuable role that masturbation may play in symptom relief and communicate with their patients about the benefits of self-pleasure.”