Heightened happiness

Health benefits

By Katie Parsons for GalTime.com

You probably do not need much convincing when it comes to the benefits of having sex, and often. It is, after all, one of the most primal and instinctual acts of human behavior. But beyond basic desire, there are some legitimate reasons to bump up the frequency of your sexual experiences, like:

Greater intimacy

For many people, experiencing joy through sex is an activity in rejuvenation. A study out of the University of Colorado-Boulder found that happiness increased 44 percent for people having sex once per week compared with respondents not having any sex. The number increased to 55 percent for respondents having sex two or three times per week. "Does having sex balance you? Make you feel your own identity better?" asked sex educator and author Lou Paget. "Then be sure you make time to create those feelings."

Having sex is an important part of a healthy routine and deserves a place alongside eating right, working out and getting enough sleep. Findings from a Wilkes University in Pennsylvania study reveals that people who have sex one or two times per week have stronger immunity than those having sex more infrequently. The stress relief that accompanies sex is also a health benefit, with research indicating that people with active sex lives handle high-pressure situations with less anxiety.

A way to have fun

Simply put, sex brings closeness between partners -- and not just in physical ways. Partners report higher levels of satisfaction in their marriages and relationships when sex is an integral part.

Intimacy is not just found in the actual act of intercourse, either. "Let's expand the definition of sex -- it isn't only genital erogenous zone play," said Paget. "Intimacy is a special state you create between you and another. Do you walk past your partner and give them a full body hug? Set cuddle time at the start or end of your day?" These actions, along with the physical act of having sex, are vital to strengthening bonds between partners.

It can be easy to forget how much fun playful, uninhibited sex can be, especially if some time has gone by between sessions. Paget suggests that couples who may not feel "in the mood" start with some slow play and basic touching to ignite the underlying passion. "Sometimes women and men don't have the desire click-in until they start doing something sexual, so you may need to start rolling your sexual car down the hill in neutral and then pop the clutch to get your sexual engine running," she said.

Remember that your sexual life is your own -- so embrace it.

"We have so much pressure to have the amount of sex we think others are having but it really should be determined on a case-by-case basis," said Paget.

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