In a fiery new study, researchers have uncovered a powerful link between intimacy and relationship satisfaction, hinting that women need a weekly dose of sexual healing to boost her levels of happiness with her partner.
According to new research that’s lighting up the pages of the International Journal of Sexual Health, getting frisky might just be the key to a happier, healthier mind.
And it turns out that once a week might be the golden ticket to bedroom bliss.
In the revealing new study of nearly 500 heterosexual women, 85% of those getting frisky once a week said they felt sexually satisfied. But for those only hitting the sheets once a month, that number dropped to 66% and plummeted to a bleak 17% for women having sex less often.
Study author Alexandra Janssen from the University of Manchester says the results highlight just how powerful regular intimacy can be when it comes to keeping that relationship spark alive.
“We don’t know whether women are happier because they are having more sex, if they are having more sex because they are happier, or if they are happier and having more sex because of other factors-perhaps they don’t have kids,” Janssen told MailOnline. “Also, the fact that women who have less sex are also less satisfied in their relationship isn’t particularly surprising.”
Grand finale
The study didn’t just stop at frequency – it also revealed that women who climaxed more often and viewed sex as a key part of their lives reported even higher levels of satisfaction.
“Women may be more likely to stay in a relationship should it provide very regular orgasmic pleasure even if it is otherwise lacking,” the study reports.
In her interview with MailOnline, Janssen shared an unexpected twist: while women who orgasmed more often tended to be happier with their sex lives, those who climaxed every single time weren’t actually the most satisfied – a finding she admitted was particularly intriguing.
“This contradicts the belief that women are most satisfied when they have an orgasm at every sexual encounter. It shows that women don’t have to orgasm every time they have sex to be satisfied in their relationship,” Janssen said. “I hope that this takes the pressure off women who might struggle to achieve orgasm 100% of the time.”
Natural antidepressant
Supporting the idea that the number of sex sessions contributes to happiness, a new study from Shantou University Medical College reveals that “a sexual frequency of 1 to 2 times per week showed the greatest protective effects on psychological well-being.”
The research, that aimed to find the “optimal sexual frequency” to “help mitigate depression odds,” explains that people who have sex at least once a week are 24% less likely to show signs of depression compared to those who only get intimate once a month or less.
“Regardless of sexual orientation, sexual activity offers benefits such as enhanced wellbeing and quality of life, significantly impacting mental health,” co-author professor Mutong Chen told MailOnline.
The mental health boost was strongest in young adults aged 20 to 30, with researchers linking the effect to a powerful surge of “feel-good” chemicals like endorphins and dopamine – both of which spike by up to 200% during sex. These natural mood enhancers are known to ease stress, lower pain, and leave you feeling more emotionally balanced.
Experts suggest that couples who find themselves going weeks without intimacy may want to reassess – not because of some outdated rulebook, but because connection and closeness matter. That once-a-week moment might just be the mental health reset your brain (and relationship) needs.
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