Positive Effects of a Healthy Sex-life on Mental Health
Here’s some positive effects of a healthy sex-life on your mental health.
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Posted: 10/09/25
We’ve all heard about the benefits that exercise, meditation and a healthy diet can have on our mental health – but did you know sex is also an important element in supporting good mental health? Here’s some positive effects of a healthy sex-life on your mental health as well as finding out how much sex we should be having…
Lowers Anxiety and Depression
1 in 4 of us, at some point in our life, will suffer from a mental health condition, so it’s never been more important than ever to increase positive mental health. A recent study explored the benefits of sexual activity during the COVID-19 outbreak and found that those who were sexually active during lockdown had significantly lower scores for depression and anxiety. This is thought to be not only because of the release of feel-good hormones, such as oxytocin, endorphins and dopamine that contribute to positive psychological wellbeing but also that sex increases levels of testosterone – previous research has shown that having lower levels of testosterone increases the risk of developing mood disorders.
Reduces stress
As well as reducing mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression, sexual activity can also reduce the levels of adrenaline and cortisol in our bodies. One study found that regular sexual intercourse relieved stress for both men and women in satisfying relationships. Not only that, another study found that blood pressure reactivity to stress is better for people who recently had sexual intercourse than people who had no sexual activity. Part of the reason sex reduces stress is that during orgasm your body releases oxytocin, a hormone that contributes to relaxation while also reducing the levels of adrenaline and cortisol. So if you’re looking to reduce stress in your life, grab your partner’s hand and lead them upstairs for some stress-relieving fun!
Increases positive wellbeing
Did you know that sex also contributes to positive wellbeing? One study from 2019 examined sexual activity on a large population of older adults and found that those who engaged in sexual activity had greater enjoyment of life and better overall well-being compared with those who were not sexually active. This was thought to be due to the release of endorphins, which generates a feeling of blissfulness after sex, as well as establishing a closer relationship with their partner and an increase in physical and mental health. What better reasons could you need to enjoy sex whatever your age?
How often should you have sex?
Now we’ve heard some important mental health benefits to having satisfying sex – you might be thinking how much sex should we be having? The good news is that there’s no one-size fits all guide into how much sex a person should have. Everyone’s sex-drive is different, so those with a higher-sex drive may orgasm daily or several times a week, while those with a lower sex-drive may prefer to have sex once a fortnight. If the amount of sex you are having feels good, then keep at it – if you want more sex, communicate this with your partner and start adding in some special 1-2-1 time.
Positive Effects of a Healthy Sex-life on Mental Health
We’ve all heard about the benefits that exercise, meditation and a healthy diet can have on our mental health – but did you know sex is also an important element in supporting good mental health? Here’s some positive effects of a healthy sex-life on your mental health as well as finding out how much sex we should be having…
Lowers Anxiety and Depression
1 in 4 of us, at some point in our life, will suffer from a mental health condition, so it’s never been more important than ever to increase positive mental health. A recent study explored the benefits of sexual activity during the COVID-19 outbreak and found that those who were sexually active during lockdown had significantly lower scores for depression and anxiety. This is thought to be not only because of the release of feel-good hormones, such as oxytocin, endorphins and dopamine that contribute to positive psychological wellbeing but also that sex increases levels of testosterone – previous research has shown that having lower levels of testosterone increases the risk of developing mood disorders.
Reduces stress
As well as reducing mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression, sexual activity can also reduce the levels of adrenaline and cortisol in our bodies. One study found that regular sexual intercourse relieved stress for both men and women in satisfying relationships. Not only that, another study found that blood pressure reactivity to stress is better for people who recently had sexual intercourse than people who had no sexual activity. Part of the reason sex reduces stress is that during orgasm your body releases oxytocin, a hormone that contributes to relaxation while also reducing the levels of adrenaline and cortisol. So if you’re looking to reduce stress in your life, grab your partner’s hand and lead them upstairs for some stress-relieving fun!
Increases positive wellbeing
Did you know that sex also contributes to positive wellbeing? One study from 2019 examined sexual activity on a large population of older adults and found that those who engaged in sexual activity had greater enjoyment of life and better overall well-being compared with those who were not sexually active. This was thought to be due to the release of endorphins, which generates a feeling of blissfulness after sex, as well as establishing a closer relationship with their partner and an increase in physical and mental health. What better reasons could you need to enjoy sex whatever your age?
How often should you have sex?
Now we’ve heard some important mental health benefits to having satisfying sex – you might be thinking how much sex should we be having? The good news is that there’s no one-size fits all guide into how much sex a person should have. Everyone’s sex-drive is different, so those with a higher-sex drive may orgasm daily or several times a week, while those with a lower sex-drive may prefer to have sex once a fortnight. If the amount of sex you are having feels good, then keep at it – if you want more sex, communicate this with your partner and start adding in some special 1-2-1 time.
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