Women who regularly have sex are likely to live longer, according to a nationally representative study in the United States at How Much Sex a Person Has Could Be Linked to Their Mortality Risk.
The results are from physical examinations and interviews with male and female participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) who were between the ages of 20 and 59.
In a study led by Walden University public health scientist Srikanta Banerjee, 14,542 adults were asked, “In the past 12 months, about how many times have you had vaginal or anal sex?” Roughly 38 percent claimed to have sex an average of once a week or more at How Much Sex a Person Has Could Be Linked to Their Mortality Risk.
Over the course of the five-year trial period, female participants who reported having sex fewer than 52 times a year had a three times higher risk of dying from any cause, even after controlling for socioeconomic position, education, and ethnicity.
No such association was found for male participants. Yet sexual activity seemed to be particularly important for men – and women – with poor mental health at How Much Sex a Person Has Could Be Linked to Their Mortality Risk.
Participants who had depression and engaged in sexual activity fewer than 52 times in a year were found to have a nearly 200 percent higher chance of dying than comparable individuals without depression. Those with depression who had sex more than 52 times a year, meanwhile, had a 75 percent higher chance of dying from any cause.
The findings build upon the result of another recent study, which found a similar association using different years of the NHANES survey. This analysis combined male and female participants together, however, and didn’t take into account the exacerbating impact of depression at How Much Sex a Person Has Could Be Linked to Their Mortality Risk.
Depression on its own has been linked with an increased risk of premature death, and women are twice as likely to suffer from depression as men.
Previous studies have shown that partnered sex is good for the mental and physical health of both males and females, improving cardiovascular health, reducing distress, boosting happiness and well-being, and protecting brain health.
Even solo sexual behaviors, like masturbation, have documented health benefits, including reduced stress, improved sleep, and boosted mood at How Much Sex a Person Has Could Be Linked to Their Mortality Risk.
But at this point, no one knows how different types of sexual activity may influence a person’s long-term health outcomes. Even in this study, the nature of the sexual activity isn’t detailed, with authors conceding that the inclusion of a sexual satisfaction subscale could overcome these limitations in the future.
“There is mounting interest in understanding how precisely sexual health affects overall health,” write the study’s authors at How Much Sex a Person Has Could Be Linked to Their Mortality Risk.
“Although the connections between physical health, social determinants of health, mental health, and poor health are well known, there is a paucity of research regarding the connection between sexual health and long-term mortality outcomes.”
Clearly, there is still much left to learn, but the general takeaway seems to be that regular sexual activity, in the broadest sense, is good for human health. At least, that is, to a certain extent at How Much Sex a Person Has Could Be Linked to Their Mortality Risk.
The recent NHANES study also found that male participants who engaged in daily sexual activity were six times more likely to experience premature death than females who did the same.
Have fun out there, but listen to your body, and make sure to give it a break when needed at How Much Sex a Person Has Could Be Linked to Their Mortality Risk.
