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Does Sex Equal Happiness?

By HERWriter
 
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Happy people are generally healthier and often live longer. This finding comes from a 2008 joint study by the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Erasmus University in the Netherlands.

What about sex? Does sex equal happiness? Many studies said it does.

According to a 2004 Dartmouth University study of 16,000 people, having more sex does equals more happiness. It also found interesting research to support that sex is better for your happiness than money.

Dartmouth College economist David Blanchflower and Andrew Oswald of England’s University of Warwick analyzed the data on the self-reported levels of sexual activity and happiness of the participants. They wrote that sex "enters so strongly and positively in happiness equations" that they estimate increasing intercourse from once a month to once a week is equivalent to the amount of happiness generated by getting an additional $50,000 in annual income for the average American.

Contrary to popular belief, they found having more money doesn't get you more sex. There was no relation between the frequency of sex and income level.

Married people came across as the happiest people. That is because for the most part, they are the people getting the most sex. They reported 30 percent more sexually activity than singles. I have a feeling there are many single people who would dispute that.

And state of mind seems to play an important part as well. People who consider themselves happy are generally richer when it comes to sexual activity. According to psychologist Gordon Gallup, "We know that people who touch and are receptive to touch are more likely to be happy and have fewer problems with depression and anxiety."

University of Cincinnati psychologist and sex therapist, Robert Hatfield said "Many studies confirm that people who are depressed have less sex. Conversely, if you're not depressed – ‘happy,' as some might say – you’re more likely to have more frequent sex."

Another study took a look at celibacy. In the May 2001 issue of the Journal of Sex Research, Georgia State University researchers found people who are involuntarily celibate frequently have "nonhappy" feelings such as anger, frustration, self-doubt and even depression. The study's conclusion: those feelings are the result of "missed opportunities" of not having sex.

So it seems from the studies that people who are having more sex are happier. And that happy people are having more sex. Those are some studies to be happy about!

Sources:
WebMD
MSNBC
Post-gazette.com
Foxnews.com

Add a Comment1 Comments

happiness doesn't equal sex.. but sex is a combination of happiness. am i right?

January 20, 2011 - 7:56pm
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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.

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