8 reasons to have sex right now
You can improve your health just by being intimate.
Jan, 2026
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Sex can be fun and relaxing, and can feel great. But did you know that having it regularly may also lower your stress levels, help you feel more confident, and improve your heart health? And that’s not all.
“Your sexual health is a really strong marker for your overall health,” says Christopher Starks, MD, a board-certified surgical urologist in Virginia. Here are eight ways being intimate can improve your health, plus easy ways to make more time for sex.
Written byOlivia DeLong.
Medically reviewed byJoanne Perron, MD.
Sources: Meltzer AL + 11
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- Cleveland Clinic. Heart Disease & Erectile Dysfunction. Reviewed July 17, 2019.
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- Maintaining an active sex life may lead to improved job satisfaction, engagement in work. Oregon State University. March 6, 2017.
- Leavitt K, Barnes CM, et al. From the Bedroom to the Office: Workplace Spillover Effects of Sexual Activity at Home. Journal of Management. 2019. 45(3), 1173–1192.
- Khajehei M, Behroozpour E. Endorphins, oxytocin, sexuality and romantic relationships: An understudied area. World J Obstet Gynecol 2018; 7(2): 17-23
- FamilyDoctor.org (AAFP). Health Benefits of a Good Sex Life. Last updated May 8, 2020.
- Cleveland Clinic. 5 Benefits of a Healthy Sex Life. June 10, 2022.
- Oregon Health & Science University. The Benefits of a Healthy Sex Life. Accessed December 14, 2022.
- AARP. 8 Reasons Sex Improves Your Health. Accessed December 14, 2022.
- Lastella M, O'Mullan C, et al. Sex and Sleep: Perceptions of Sex as a Sleep Promoting Behavior in the General Adult Population. Front Public Health. 2019 Mar 4;7:33.
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