“Having sex at least once a week produces measurable improvements in physical and mental health outcomes.”

A study published in J Affect Disord on April 15, 2025, found a significant negative association between sexual frequency and the odds of depression. Participants reporting sexual activity at least once per week had lower odds of depressive symptoms compared to those engaging in sexual activity less than once per month. The analysis suggested an optimal sexual frequency of 52 to 103 times per year (1-2 times per week) to reduce depression odds, showing the greatest protective effects on psychological well-being.

Studies have shown that sex is extremely beneficial to our health. The benefits of sex for women include: Lower blood pressure; Better immune system; Better heart health, possibly including lower risk for heart disease; Improved self-esteem; Decreased depression and anxiety; Increased libido; Immediate, natural pain relief; Better sleep; Increased intimacy and closeness to a sexual partner; Overall stress reduction, both physiologically and emotional.

Regular sexual activity has been linked to benefits like a lower risk of certain diseases and improved well-being. Depression rates were significantly higher in women with low sexual activity (14.3%) compared to those with higher sexual frequency (9%). After adjusting for factors like age, BMI, and education, women with low sexual activity still had a 37% higher risk of depression.

Researchers found that people who had frequent sex, which they defined as one to two times per week, had more immunoglobin A (IgA) in their system than others. However, a 2016 study also concluded that high levels of sexual activity might increase the risk of cardiovascular events in men.

Results from cross-lagged models suggest that high frequency of sex is positively related to later risk of cardiovascular events for men but not women, whereas good sexual quality seems to protect women but not men from cardiovascular risk in later life. However, a high frequency of sex may indicate potential problems of sexual obsessions or unmet sexual need of either partner, or may signal the presence of an extramarital sexual relationship. These may lead to stress and physical exhaustion and thus be detrimental to cardiovascular health.

A large U.S. study found that having sex once or twice a week is linked to much lower depression risk. Researchers observed a 40% to 42% drop in depressive symptoms among moderately sexually active adults. The authors did point out, however, that bumping up sexual frequency beyond the twice-weekly threshold failed to produce additional mental health benefits.

A study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders in April 2025 revealed that people who have sex at least once a week are almost 24 percent less likely to show signs of moderate to severe depression. The optimal point to reduce depression risk was identified as once or twice a week, with no further mental health benefits beyond this saturation point.

A study published in the BMJ found that men aged 45-59 with high orgasmic frequency had a 50% lower mortality risk. Other research indicates that college students who had sex one to two times a week had more salivary immunoglobulin A, and a recent study linked sex at least once a week to a 10% decreased risk of heart disease mortality.

Research links weekly sex with lower risk of death from heart disease and lower overall death risk. Ejaculating 2 to 4 times weekly may lower prostate cancer risk, and having sex a couple of times weekly may raise immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies. However, another study also found that over 103 times per year, the direction of that link changed. The authors of that study concluded that both excessive and infrequent sexual activity may have negative effects on your health.

We identified contradictory findings regarding the importance of sexual frequency, particularly for mental health and well-being. Although evidence suggests that increased sexual frequency is associated with better health outcomes, one study found no association between intercourse frequency and several mental health outcomes during early motherhood and another study showed a curvilinear association between sexual frequency and well-being, regardless of demographic group. The assessment of the risk of bias showed that most studies had some degree of bias. The most considerable concerns were confounding bias and selection bias, primarily due to not adjusting for confounding factors, using non-probabilistic sampling methods and lack of information on blinding practices.

A systematic review from November 2024 noted contradictory findings regarding the importance of sexual frequency, particularly for mental health and well-being. While evidence suggests increased sexual frequency is associated with better health outcomes, some studies found no association or a curvilinear association where benefits plateau at higher frequencies.

People who have sex at least once a week have been shown to benefit from higher levels of immunoglobulin A, an antibody that protects from illness. Doctors recommend having sex regularly not only for progeny but also because of some of its health benefits. These health benefits include: Improved libido; Improving mood; Increased vaginal lubrication; Improved bladder control in women; Improved immune system; Weight-loss support; Lowered blood pressure; Lowered heart attack risk; Reduced prostate cancer risk; Improved sleep; Better memory; Lower pain levels; Stress relief; Boosting immune health.

There is no direct evidence that daily sexual activity extends lifespan in healthy adults, but regular sexual activity is associated with better quality of life and may serve as a marker of overall cardiovascular health rather than a direct cause of longevity. The research examines "sexually active" versus "not sexually active" or "frequent" (≥2 times per month) versus infrequent activity. There is no evidence comparing daily activity to other frequencies for any health outcome including mortality.

Results from mixed-effects models suggest that being sexually active, having sex more frequently, feeling okay with sexual frequency, and reporting better sexual quality were all related to better mental health outcomes. ... For example, results from Model 1 in Panel B suggest that compared to those who had no sex last year, those who had sex once a week or more reported self-rated poor mental health by 0.25 unit lower (p < .001), unhappiness by 0.25 unit lower (p < .001), and psychological distress by 0.80 unit lower (p < .001).

Having sex frequently -- and enjoying it -- puts older men at higher risk for heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems. ... "Strikingly, we find that having sex once a week or more puts older men at a risk for experiencing cardiovascular events that is almost two times greater than older men who are sexually inactive," said Liu.

A 2015 study reported that sexual frequency is not as important to well-being as previously thought. It indicated that for those in relationships, the frequency of sexual activity does not have a significant association with well-being. However, sexual experiences are an essential part of the quality of life for some people.