Why Pleasure Deserves a Place in Your Wellness Routine

Wellness has become one of the biggest priorities of the last decade. We're eating better, moving our bodies more, investing in our mental health, taking mindfulness seriously and carving out time for self-care. More than ever, people are recognising that feeling good isn't about a single healthy habit but about caring for ourselves as a whole. 

However, there's one area that's only recently started getting the attention it deserves: our sexual wellbeing. 

For years, conversations around sexual health have focused almost exclusively on what can go wrong. We learn about preventing pregnancy, avoiding sexually transmitted infections, and recognising health concerns when they happen. Yes, these are incredibly important, but they aren’t the only things we need to think about. 

What about pleasure?

At Adulttoymegastore, we believe sexual wellness sits alongside physical and mental wellbeing as one of the three pillars of overall health. They all influence one another. When one area is neglected, the others often feel the impact too. And when all three are nurtured, we're more likely to feel confident, connected, and fulfilled. 

That means sexual wellness is about far more than remembering to book an STI test or keeping your favourite vibrator charged (although both are a good idea). It's about feeling comfortable in your body, understanding your desires, communicating your boundaries, and permitting yourself to experience pleasure without guilt or shame. 

In fact, pleasure is one of the most important, and most overlooked, parts of sexual wellness. 

The World Health Organization defines sexual health as a state of physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being in relation to sexuality. At the same time, researchers have increasingly argued that sexual wellness should go even further. A 2021 paper published in The Lancet Public Health describes sexual wellness as encompassing sexual health, sexual justice, emotional wellbeing and, importantly, sexual pleasure. 

For generations, sex education has largely centred on risk reduction. What was often missing was the simple acknowledgement that pleasure is a healthy, normal part of being human. And it’s the reason most of us are having sex in the first place! 

When pleasure isn't talked about, it's easy to grow up believing it's indulgent, embarrassing or somehow less important than every other aspect of our health. 

But pleasure has measurable benefits for both our bodies and minds. During sexual pleasure and orgasm, our brains release a cocktail of feel-good chemicals, including dopamine, oxytocin and endorphins, which can help reduce stress, improve mood and promote relaxation. Many people also find that regular sexual pleasure supports better sleep, eases menstrual cramps, strengthens pelvic floor muscles and contributes to a healthier libido. 

Just as importantly, pleasure helps us build a better relationship with ourselves. 

Exploring what feels good teaches us about our own bodies. It helps us recognise what we enjoy, what we don't, and how to communicate those things with confidence. That self-awareness often leads to better communication with partners, stronger boundaries, and more satisfying sexual experiences. 

Of course, pleasure is only one part of sexual wellness. 

Good sexual health still means having access to contraception, STI testing and treatment, reproductive healthcare, and support for sexual concerns like painful sex or difficulties with arousal or orgasm. It also means living in a society that supports sexual rights and bodily autonomy, where people of all genders and sexualities can access healthcare, relationships and legal protections without discrimination. 

Sexual wellness isn't measured by how often you have sex, whether you're in a relationship, or whether you own a drawer full of toys. It's about feeling informed, empowered, and connected to your own sexuality in whatever way feels authentic to you. 

Because true wellness isn't just about avoiding illness, it’s about feeling good in your body, and pleasure deserves a place in that conversation.