What Was the Magic Wand Study?
1,000 adults with vulvas (18–84) completed a 21-day daily diary after screening 5,000+; results were analyzed with hierarchical linear modeling.
Applicants
Participants
WEEKS
In 2025, with approval from Emory University’s Institutional Review Board and funding from Vibratex (the company responsible for the Magic Wand brand of vibrators), Dr. Candice Hargons, Danielle Bezalel and research assistant Kasey Vigil conducted a first-of-its-kind 3-week intervention with 1,000 participants selected from 5,000+ applicants. Participants tracked stress, sleep, focus, confidence, body appreciation, partner connection, desire and sexual response.
Study Flow
Baseline
Survey
Participants participated in initial survey to set baseline data.
Week 1: Abstinence
Participants refrained from sexual activity to measure its absence.
Week 2: Daily Wand Use
Participants used the Magic Wand daily and tracked mood, sleep, focus and connection.
Week 3: Sex As Usual
Participants resumed normal sexual activity to assess ongoing benefits.
Completion Survey
Participants completed a final survey to evaluate lasting effects.
Baseline Data
Across nearly all groups (age, orientation, menopause status, and baseline mood), the same pattern holds: the lowest stress appears during Wand and Sex-as-Usual weeks, with a small rebound after the study.
Aha Moment #3
Better Sleep
The negative impact of abstinence on sleep quality was only significant for people who reported medium or high levels of positive affect.
In other words, participants who reported low baseline positive affect did not experience worse sleep during the abstinence phase compared to other study phases.
We expect people with depressed mood to have lower sleep quality at baseline.
Sleep Improved During Magic Wand Week
-
Sleep
Quality +4% -
Sleep Quality for Participants *without Depression
+5%
-
Sleep Quality for Menopausal Participants
+7.5%
*Participants with depression reported consistently low sleep quality during all stages of the study.
“Masturbated before I took a nap after work. [It] put me right to sleep and it was such a nice release!”
– Study Participant
Magic Wand Study
Aha Moment #4
Deeper Connection
Partner connection scores peaked with daily Magic Wand use.
Abstinence
Magic Wand
Sex as Usual
“I felt more present with my partner, more in tune with my own needs, and better able to communicate what I wanted. It transformed our intimacy.”
– Study Participant
“ I let my partner try using it on me today, which was a very different experience from using it alone! We both enjoyed it a lot, so I’m looking forward to incorporating it more often into our activities.”
– Study Participant
POLL TIME
Aha Moment #5
Confidence, Turned On
Participants reported higher body confidence, self-love, and gender euphoria.
“For the first time in a long time, I felt truly comfortable in my own skin. The study helped me reconnect with my body in such a positive way.”
– Study Participant
Magic Wand Study
During Magic Wand Week, participants experienced noticeable boosts in both body appreciation and self-confidence. Many described feeling more at home in their bodies and more joyful about expressing themselves.
Aha Moment #6
PLEASURE IS FOR EVERYONE
abstinence week
and magic wand week
STRESS DECREASED ~12% stress was highest amongst
the youngest participants
throughout the study but also
saw a significant decline
their partners during
magic wand week
abstinence week
WITH DEPRESSION +5% boost in body appreciation over
the course of the study
YOUR TURN! START YOUR 7-DAY PLEASURE CHALLENGE
You’ve seen the data, now feel the difference for yourself.
The 7-Day Pleasure Challenge invites you to explore how daily self-pleasure impacts mood, sleep, and confidence: no lab coat required.
Download the guide, track your week, and rediscover what your body already knows: pleasure is powerful.
“As a busy mom, the ‘assignment’ helped me prioritize doing something nice for myself.”
Study Participant
How It Works
What You’ll Track
- Daily Wellness Score
- Sleep Quality
- Stress Levels
- Body Appreciation
- Confidence Levels
- Partner Connection
- Overall Mood
- Personal Insights
Your Wellness Journey Starts Today
Explore the Full Dataset
DIG INTO THE DATA
Behind every chart and quote lies a mountain of insight. The Magic Wand Study analyzed more than 100,000 data points using hierarchical linear modeling to measure changes across mood, sleep, focus, confidence, connection, and sexual wellness.
This section invites the curious to explore the evidence, not as abstract statistics, but as the human story behind measurable change. Each number represents someone’s week of rediscovery, reflection, and pleasure.
Explore
Over 100,000 data points analyzed.
Real people. Real change.
See how the numbers tell a story of better rest, better moods, and a better understanding of pleasure as a part of wellness.
Explore the Full Dataset
1000 participants, three weeks, and over 100,000 data points on pleasure, rest, and mood.
Coming soonBaseline Data & Sexual Wellness Trends
Key shifts in sleep, stress, and pleasure across the Magic Wand Study.
Sex Ed with DB: 1,000 People Masturbated for Science
Deep dive into the study design, the “why” behind the data, and what surprised the researchers most.
Shameless Sex: Buzzing with Pleasure
A candid conversation about pleasure routines, self-advocacy, and what Magic Wand users taught us.
NY Post: Don’t Stop Masturbating, It Will Make You Depressed
The cultural conversation your data helped spark about orgasms, stress, and mental health.
Dream Team
Meet the research and creative team behind the Magic Wand Wellness Study: four passionate professionals combining expertise in psychology, public health, data, and design to bring science-backed pleasure to the forefront of wellness.
Dr. Candice Nicole Hargons
Sex Researcher, Professor, Author
Danielle Bezalel (DB)
Sex Ed with DB Creator, MPH
Kasey Vigil, M.A.
Research Assistant
Sarah Tomchesson
Strategic Lead, Vibratex
Your Wellness Journey Starts Today
Join thousands who’ve discovered the transformative power of daily pleasure.
The Magic Wand Wellness Study was conducted by leading sex researchers to assess the impact of vibrator use on sexual health and well-being outcomes and, secondarily, the impact of abstinence on sexual health and well-being outcomes. Data was collected with the informed consent of all participants.