Featured Image Credit: Channel 4/Stefania Pelfini, La Waziya Photography
Topics: News, Health, Sex and Relationships
Bec Oakes
Topics: News, Health, Sex and Relationships
It's time to celebrate lads — No Nut November (NNN) 2023 has officially ended!
The idea behind NNN is simple. All you have to do is abstain from ejaculating for the entire month of November.
Successfully executing the challenge, on the other hand, is far harder.
But, despite the idea of not being able to get down and dirty with your partner, your favourite toy, or simply through the power of your own hand not sounding all that appealing, millions of men took on the challenge.
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Since its conception in 2011, NNN participants have credited abstaining from ejaculation with improving their mental health and clarity and giving them increased self-confidence.
And, there's always the hope that it will boost sperm count and health, increase testosterone levels, and help you perform better in bed.
But, just how valid are the claims?
Last year, Dr Rena Malik explained that the benefits of not ejaculating could help boost your fertility when you finally do have sex, but overall there wasn't much of a reason to do it, especially not for 30 days.
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She explained that while there aren't any huge health problems caused by participating in No Nut November, it doesn't really help much either as you'll miss out on the benefits of masturbation.
She said: "There's a number of benefits to masturbation including better sleep, decreased heart rate, decreased stress and a lot of increase in feel good hormones.
"People can get a lot of pain and discomfort in their pelvic floor, or their testicles." Hello blue balls!
As for feelings of improved mental health and increased self-confidence, there may actually be some truth there.
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The self-discipline required to make it through 30 days without orgasming proves to participants that they can set a goal and achieve it.
Dr Boback Berookhim, a New York-based urologist and men's sexual health expert, told DailyMail.com: "From a philosophical standpoint, having control over one's various bodily urges does have a benefit in terms of self-discipline and self-control and kind of improving one's general sense of self over time.
"Does that mean that that person needs to abstain from sexual activity for a month? I'm not convinced but to each his own. It's certainly not going to be harmful."
So while claims of incredible health benefits are dubious to say the least, those who've completed No Nut November by not, you know, completing, should be proud of their achievements and definitely schedule in some alone time over the next few days.