Emotional, Physical, and Relationship Benefits of Frequent Sex

In a supportive relationship, there are many benefits to having more sex. Higher rates of sexual activity are linked to positive changes, such as lower blood pressure, reduced stress, greater intimacy, and even a lower divorce rate.1 While there are no one-size-fits-all rules when it comes to an ideal sex frequency, here's some insight from the latest research.

Illustration by JR Bee, Verywell 

Ideal Frequency for Having Sex

A 2015 study found that general well-being is associated with sexual frequency, but only to an extent.2 Relationship satisfaction improved progressively from having no sex up to having sex once a week but did not improve further (and actually decreased somewhat) beyond this point.

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One sexual encounter per week is fairly consistent with the current average. However, our increasingly busy lives may be getting in the way of having more sex. Compared to the frequency of sex in the 1990s, adults in 2010 were having sex nine times less per year.3

Average Sexual Frequency

• Average adult: 54 times per year (about once per week)

• Adults in their 20s: Around 80 times per year

• Adults in their 60s: 20 times per year

Although frequency often decreases with age, sexual activity in older adultsremains important. In general, older married couples tend to have sex more often than unmarried peers within the same age group.1

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Psychological Benefits of Sex

There are many emotional and psychological benefits of making love. Sex is strongly linked to a better quality of life. Some of these benefits include:

• Better Self-Image: Sex can boost self-esteem and reduce feelings of insecurity, leading to more positive perceptions of ourselves.

• Higher rates of happiness: According to a 2015 study conducted in China, more consensual sex and better quality sex increases happiness.4

• More bonding: Brain chemicals are released during sex, including endorphins, which decrease irritability and feelings of depression. Another hormone, oxytocin (the "hug drug") increases with nipple stimulation and other sexual activity.5 Oxytocin helps foster a sense of calmness and contentment.

• Relief from stress: Chronic stress may contribute to lower sex frequency. However, sex can be an effective stress management technique. Sex reduces stress response hormones, like cortisol and adrenaline (epinephrine), with effects lasting well into the next day.1

• Sleep Quality Improvements: Orgasms trigger the release of the hormone, prolactin, which aids in sleep.6

Physical Benefits of Increased Sex

It's fairly intuitive to understand how sex improves emotional health, but there are a number of physical benefits from sex as well. Some of these include:

• Better physical fitness: Sex is a form of exercise. According to the American Heart Association, sexual activity is equivalent to moderate physical activities, like brisk walking or climbing two flights of stairs.7 The motion of sex can tighten and tone abdominal and pelvic muscles. For women, improved muscle tone improves bladder control.

• Enhanced brain function: Preliminary studies on rats found that more frequent intercourse was correlated with better cognitive function and the growth of new brain cells. Similar benefits have since been observed in human studies. A 2018 study of over 6,000 adults linked frequent sex with better memory performance in adults ages 50 and older