Ah, the pursuit of happiness – has there ever been a simpler or more vexing goal in life? Finding happiness seems like it should be fairly easy but when it comes right down to it, we all have a hard time finding what makes us truly happy. Everywhere we look it seems that money is the key to lasting happiness. Even for those who know you can’t literally buy happiness, 
the safety and security money brings is often seen as the way to achieve happiness overall. But a number of studies are suggesting there could be another way to find your bliss.
Happiness and Sex
Money may make the world go round, but sex makes it worth the ride. That’s the emerging opinion after a number of studies have found health benefits associated with a happy sex life as well as the suggestion that a good sex life is literally worth its weight in gold.
Dartmouth College economist David Blachflower worked with Andrew Oswald of the University of Warwick in England to study the happiness and sexual activity of 16,000 subjects. The team found that sex factors “strongly and heavily” in the equation for happiness. Their study found that increasing the frequency of sex from once a month to once a week brought about happiness equivalent to someone receiving a $50,000 a year raise for the average American.
While these findings have made headlines around the globe, the news isn’t that shocking to medical and psychiatric professionals. The health community has done a lot of research into the various benefits of sex and has been able to document a number of ways in which sex can make us healthier. The health benefits of a healthy sex life have been documented and studied for a number of years. As if boosting your happiness wasn’t reason enough to burn up the sheets more often, an active sex life can also bring the following health benefits:
- Immunity Boost – Research done at Wilkes University found that people who had sex once or twice a week had higher levels of certain antibodies which defend a person against germs and viruses. An immunity booster that’s way better than a flu shot!
- Higher Sex Drive – Worried your libido is slowing down? Increase how often you have sex. Even if you’re less than enthusiastic at first, regular sex increases your sex drive making it the ultimate example of ‘fake it till you make it.”
- Lowers Blood Pressure – Anyone with high blood pressure knows that one of the most effective ways to keep it low is to believe stress and engage in physical activity. Sex serves the perfect combination of physical activity and stress busting properties thanks to the release of dopamine during and after sex.
- Improves Sleep – After you have an orgasm, the body releases prolactin which is partly responsible for making people feel more relaxed and sleepy. Being able to fall asleep quickly and sleep soundly is a huge health benefit as poor sleep habits have been associated with depression and obesity.
The health benefits of an active sex life have been well documented and now researchers are finding more and more evidence that it supports good emotional health as well. These new findings are likely to inspire others to research why sex is such an important part of our emotional well-being and how it affects the body. The general public may not need to be convinced that sex is a good way to spend their time, but knowing all the benefits it can bring could make sex more of a priority for stressed-out adults in need of some effective – and fun – stress relief.
