Why You Need to Have More Sex

When it comes to sex, the more, the merrier—no really: People are happier when they’re having more sex, according to recent research out of the University of Colorado Boulder.

To reach that conclusion, lead researcher Tim Wadsworth, PhD, an associate professor of sociology at the University of Colorado Boulder, looked at data from the national and biennial General Social Survey. He analyzed responses from 15,386 people who were surveyed about their happiness levels and sexual frequency. The findings: As that frequency increased, so did the respondents’ happiness levels. (Sounds about right!) There is a catch, though: When Wadsworth examined respondents’ sexual frequency in comparison to that of the people in their peer groups, he found that people who were having less sex than their peers reported being less happy.

That’s consistent with previous research on social comparison and income, says Wadsworth: “If I had a lot of income but there was nobody else around me, there’s no marker for me to know whether I’m rich or poor,” he says—and the same principle applies to sex: “If other people are having more sex than you are, it makes your own sex life feel less satisfying.”

The takeaway: Regardless of how much you (or your girlfriends) are getting it on right now, you’ll be happier if you spend more time in the bedroom. These tips will help you make the most of it: