Masturbation for those assigned female at birth (AFAB) has often been centred in shame, silence, and misinformation.

While male pleasure has often been treated as inevitable, women’s self-pleasure has been dismissed, pathologised, or erased altogether.

At bloomwell, we believe that understanding your body is a radical act of care. Masturbation isn’t something to whisper about, it’s a normal, healthy, and empowering part of wellbeing.

Let’s talk about what scientific research and women themselves actually tells us about the health benefits of masturbation.

1. It supports mental health and reduces stress

Masturbation triggers the release of 'feel-good' hormones like dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphins. These chemicals help reduce stress, improve mood, and create a sense of relaxation and emotional safety.

For many people AFAB, self-pleasure offers a rare moment of bodily autonomy; time where the body is not being monitored, judged, or demanded from. In a world that constantly tells us to be productive, pleasing, or resilient, pleasure can be deeply restorative.

In short: masturbation can help regulate stress, reduce anxiety, and offer emotional grounding.

2. It can improve sleep quality

Orgasms activate the parasympathetic nervous system; the part of the body responsible for rest and recovery. This is why many people feel sleepy or relaxed after climax.

For those who struggle with insomnia, racing thoughts, or chronic stress, masturbation before bed can help the body wind down naturally, without medication or screens.

Pleasure can act as a sleep aid

3. It helps with pain management

Orgasms increase blood flow and release endorphins, which act as natural painkillers. Some people report relief from:

• Menstrual cramps
• Pelvic tension
• Headaches
• Chronic pain conditions

While masturbation is not a cure, it can be a valuable, accessible tool for pain management, particularly for those navigating conditions like endometriosis, vulvodynia, or pelvic floor dysfunction.

Pleasure doesn’t negate pain, but it can coexist with it.

4. It supports pelvic and sexual health

Regular sexual arousal increases blood flow to the genitals, which helps maintain vaginal health and overall pelvic health. This can be especially beneficial during:

• Perimenopause and menopause
• Periods of low libido
• Recovery from illness or trauma

Masturbation can also help women identify tension or discomfort in the pelvic floor, encouraging better awareness and gentler care.

5. It builds body literacy and autonomy

Knowing what feels good and what doesn’t is foundational to sexual health.

Masturbation allows women to:

• Learn their anatomy without pressure
• Identify boundaries
• Communicate needs more clearly with partners
• Decentre performance and prioritise sensation

This kind of embodied knowledge is powerful, especially in a medical and cultural landscape that often treats female bodies as confusing, exaggerated, or unreliable.

Understanding your pleasure is understanding your body.

6. It can strengthen relationships (including the one with yourself)

Contrary to persistent myths, masturbation doesn’t “replace” partnered sex. For many women, it actually enhances intimacy by reducing pressure, increasing confidence, and normalising pleasure as mutual and not one-sided.

And for women who are single, asexual, disabled, chronically ill, or not currently sexually active, masturbation can be a vital way to experience connection with their body on their own terms.

Understanding your pleasure can help you communicate your boundaries with sexual partners

Let’s talk about the stigma

Despite its benefits, AFAB masturbation is still heavily stigmatised, particularly for women of colour, disabled women, religious women, and those raised in sex-negative cultures.

Shame around self-pleasure doesn’t just affect sex lives. It impacts:

• Body image
• Medical self-advocacy
• Pain reporting
• Confidence in relationships

When women are taught to disconnect from pleasure, they are also taught to disconnect from bodily trust.

At Bloomwell, we reject that.

You don’t owe anyone pleasure, not even yourself. Masturbation is not a requirement for empowerment or wellness. But if and when you choose it, it deserves to be free from guilt, fear, or misinformation.

Your body is not inappropriate.
Your pleasure should not be overlooked.
Your wellbeing includes connecting with yourself.

References:

World Health Organisation Sexual Health

Komisaruk, B. R., Whipple, B., Crawford, A., Liu, W. C., Kalnin, A., & Mosier, K. (2004). Brain activation during vaginocervical self-stimulation and orgasm in women.Human Brain Mapping, 23(4), 191–202.

The 'Menstrubation' Study