If you think shows like Rivals or Bridgerton are just a guilty pleasure, experts suggest they may actually have genuine benefits for your health and your relationship.
What looks like pure escapist viewing, full of charged encounters and glossy drama, may be doing more than simply entertaining you. Doctors and sex experts say erotic scenes in mainstream series can spark positive responses in both the mind and body.
In other words, your latest binge-watch might be serving a purpose beyond passing the time.
According to specialists, watching intimate scenes on screen can be enough to trigger a measurable physiological response.
Speaking to the Telegraph, Dr Laura Clark, an NHS GP and co-founder of women’s health clinic SHE Health, explains:
“Watching programmes with explicitly erotic scenes automatically triggers our animal instincts and our body’s hormonal response. Simply watching shows that feature intimate scenes is enough to flood your body with oxytocin, creating an overall sense of happiness, and significant benefits for your cardiovascular system.”
Oxytocin is often referred to as the “love hormone” and is closely associated with bonding, trust and sexual arousal. Health experts also link it to stress regulation and emotional connection, although the wider health effects of oxytocin are complex and still being studied.
Mainstream sexy dramas can also stimulate dopamine production. This chemical is heavily involved in the brain’s reward system and affects everything from motivation to memory and concentration.
“The brain releases dopamine when the body is in a natural state of arousal,” says Dr Clark.
“Not only does this make you feel happier, but there are some surprising indirect benefits. Dopamine helps to prevent the stress that can lead to sugar cravings and a cycle of bad eating habits.”
Dopamine plays a central role in reward, attention, motivation and mood, so it is not surprising that exciting, emotionally charged TV can feel uplifting or absorbing. That said, experts generally caution that no single hormone or neurotransmitter should be treated as a magic health fix on its own.
So while you are immersed in a Regency romance or a scandal-heavy drama, your body may be balancing more than your mood.
The potential upsides do not stop there. If what happens on screen leads to intimacy in real life, there may be further health gains. Regular sexual activity has long been associated with lower stress and may support overall wellbeing, although researchers stress that the relationship between stress, sex and blood pressure is complicated rather than automatic.
Dr Clark says long-term stress can push cortisol levels up, which is associated with increased fat storage, weaker bones, and greater inflammation across the body. Chronic stress is widely linked to worse physical and mental health, which is one reason closeness, relaxation and supportive relationships matter.
Some studies have also suggested a link between a healthy sex life and lower cancer risk. One widely referenced US study followed nearly 32,000 men and found that those who reported more frequent ejaculation were less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than those reporting lower monthly frequency.
Important caveat: that research showed an association, not proof that ejaculation itself prevents cancer, and it focused specifically on prostate cancer risk in men rather than cancer risk more broadly.
“Sexual health is intrinsically linked to overall health,” Dr Clark adds.
“A fulfilling sex life can have a positive impact on both physical and mental well-being, making it an important part of a healthy lifestyle.”
There may also be benefits for couples and self-image. Erotic scenes in popular TV dramas can influence how people view attraction, intimacy, and confidence.
Sex coach Lucy Rowett argues that programmes such as Rivals can feel more relatable than pornography because they show a broader range of bodies and ages, while still framing them as attractive.
“Emily Atack, who plays Stratton, has a gorgeous, voluptuous figure, but her curves aren’t the punchline to a joke,” Rowett says.
“Her character is attractive and powerful; she isn’t worrying about whether her tummy jiggles when she’s naked, and that can give those watching the confidence to do the same.”
That point may resonate with viewers because mainstream dramas often place intimacy inside a wider story about romance, vulnerability, power and personality, rather than presenting sex in isolation. For some people, that can make what they are watching feel less performative and more emotionally realistic.
Rowett believes that kind of representation can have an effect well beyond physical intimacy, helping viewers feel more comfortable and self-assured in everyday life too.
For partners, watching this kind of content together can create a natural opening for conversations that may otherwise feel awkward or difficult to begin.
Psychotherapist Rebecca Goldie says mainstream dramas are especially useful in that respect:
“Shows like Rivals or Bridgerton are mainstream and all your friends are watching too, so they can make those conversations more accessible. Even if it doesn’t lead to anything physical, just talking about sex with your partner is a reminder of that side of your relationship.”
That idea is backed up by broader relationship research suggesting that open communication about sex is linked to greater sexual and relationship satisfaction. In other words, the real benefit for many couples may not be the steamy scene itself, but the conversation it starts afterwards.
There are limits, of course. Erotic TV is not a substitute for medical advice, therapy or a healthy relationship, and not everyone will respond to the same kind of content in the same way. But for many viewers, a sexy period drama or provocative modern series may offer more than escapism: a mood boost, a prompt for connection and, sometimes, a reminder that desire is a normal part of everyday life.