Generally speaking, people don’t need more reasons to have sex but knowing that you’re getting some health benefits while having fun never hurts. Sex has always been a popular topic – and hobby – for most people and, as a result, people love to learn more about it. Much of this interest is focused on techniques or erotica but there’s also a great deal of research done of the physiological effects sex has on us. This research has helped many people understand why a happy and healthy sex life is so important and how problems in the bedroom can easily creep into the rest of your life.

1. A Boost to the Immune System

When cold and flu season starts, it’s important to do everything you can to help improve your immune system. Have some orange juice at breakfast, include plenty of fresh vegetables to your diet and … increase how often you have sex? That’s the advice plenty of people have no trouble taking thanks to a couple of studies published in the American Journal of Cardiology and the Psychological reports series of Ammons Scientific. One study found that people who had sex once or twice a week had markedly higher levels of immunoglobulin A (IgA) which is the immune system’s first line of defence when it comes to protecting you from a virus. The other study, published in the Psychological Reports series, found that people with an active sex life were less likely to call off sick from work which segues nicely into the next health benefit sex offers.

2. Better Focus at Work

You know that joke about being able to tell who had fun last night based on their mood at work in the morning? Sex can increase mental clarity and improves a person’s ability to focus on difficult or time consuming tasks, particularly those at work. For people who come into work with an extra spring in their step, that means being able to work more efficiently with others, brainstorm creative solutions to business problems and even focus more clearly on those reports, charts and projects that normally feel so daunting.

3. The Best way to Fight Obesity

Sure sex can be a great workout, but it combats obesity in other ways. People who engage in an active sex life naturally want to be as flexible as possible and they also want to have better stamina – two things that require people to be in fairly good shape.

4. The Best Kind of Pain Relief

When someone is in pain, they may not really think about having sex but it could be just what they need. An active and healthy sex life has been associated with a reduction in chronic pain such as fibromyalgia and women have reported that having an orgasm helps to improve their pain when they experience menstrual cramps.

5. Keep That Heart Pumping

A good sex life relies heavily on a healthy cardiovascular system. Most men know this since they know about the connection between heart health and erectile function, but what they may not realize is that sex itself also helps to improve heart health. A study published in the journal Biological Psychology found that men who had sex at least twice a week were 45% less likely than those who engaged in sex once a month or less.

6. Sleep Better

Falling asleep right after sex is more than just a pop culture joke, it’s a real physical phenomena. People are more likely to pass out after sex not because of exhaustion, but because your body releases the hormone prolactin after orgasm. Prolactin is a natural sedative and that, along with a host of other feel good chemicals release during and after sex, are the perfect combination to help people fall asleep quickly and get a deep, restful slumber which leaves them bright eyed and bushy tailed in the morning.