So here’s a thing, it turns out that kinky sex you’ve been having with your bea can do a lot more than get you off — it can actually help relieve stress.

Yep, its official, kinky sex is good for you. A new study conducted by researchers over at Northern Illinois University found that BDSM sex (you know, “50 Shades” style bondage/discipline, dominance/submission, and sadism/masochism) works to increase mindfulness, a hyper awareness and acceptance of the current moment.

When the researchers looked at people engaging in BDSM-style sex, they noticed that they were regularly entering a “flow state” of mindfulness, which is apparently the same mental state athletes get into when they’re “in the zone.”

The study’s lead author, Brad Sagarin, Ph.D., explains:

Flow is an enjoyable and pleasurable state that people get into when they are performing an activity that requires a high level of skill. It’s a state in which the rest of the world kind of fades away and somebody is concentrating very intensely only on what they are doing.”

And guess what else? Kink is waaay more common than you’d expect, with research showing that about half of all people have had some kind of freaky sex at some point, and a whopping 84% saying they’d like a little more kink in their lives.

So, now that we’ve established that kink is awesome and people love it, here’s the real question: Why do people love BDSM so much? What is it about handcuffs, nipple clamps, and even leashes that’s so endearing? Hmmm…

According to a highly informative article on the wild world of BDSM by Broadly, indulging in some kinky Fifty Shades-style sex takes your brain to a magical, otherworldly, pleasure-induced place called “subspace.”

If you’ve ever had kinky sex, you already know what this subspace feels like, and you know that it’s goddamn amazing. But in case you haven’t, it’s a “floaty” or “high” feeling that comes from the huge rush of endorphins that floods your body, courtesy of the sheer pleasure of living out your freakiest fantasies.

Professional dominatrix Maitresse Madeline Marlowe told Broadly.

For all of us, endorphins bind to opiate receptors to naturally relieve pain. Since BDSM play can include power exchange and masochistic acts, endorphins are one of the most common neurotransmitters [produced].”

BDSM play sometimes hurts, but in conjunction with something that feels as amazing as sex, that pain turns into pleasure. Besides, you know what they say: pleasure is the child of pain.

Science of BDSM researcher Kathryn Klement also told Broadly.

Like many potentially stressful or extreme experiences (e.g., sky-diving, fire-walking), individuals’ bodies react to that stress when they engage in BDSM.

We interpret these cortisol results to mean that when people engage in BDSM play (as the receiver of sensations) or extreme rituals, their bodies release a hormone usually associated with stress. However, we’ve also found that people subjectively report their psychological stress decreasing, so there is a disconnect between what the body is experiencing, and what the individual is perceiving.”

In layman’s terms, kinky sex is physically stressful, and your body freaks out a little, which cause your adrenals to release the stress hormone, cortisol, to compensate.

Normally, stressful situations where cortisol floods your body puts you into “fight or flight” mode, which is what happens if you were about get attacked by a pit bull or something.

As you might guess, this stress response is very useful, but doesn’t feel very good, considering your brain automatically thinks you’re in serious danger.

With BDSM, however, you still get that same stress response physically, but your psychological stress decreases, so what you’re left with is a delicious, feel-good cocktail of endorphins, all without your brain telling you you’re about to die. This is what makes you feel floaty and downright wonderful. Sounds good, huh?

And to think you were wasting all of your money on yoga, meditation classes and herbal tea, when really, all you needed was some good, adventurous lovemaking to relieve your stress.