How much sex should you have
This question concerns many, including scientists. The latter, in particular, are trying to find out how much sex people need to feel happier.
The answer seems to have been obtained in 2015. A large-scale study was published Sexual Frequency Predicts Greater Well-Being, But More is Not Always Better , in which more than 30,000 people participated. It turned out that couples who had sex at least once a week were happier than those for whom this joyful event happened less often. Interestingly, those who had sex more than once a week did not become even happier as a result. It turns out that the norm is once every seven days.
This could have been the end if not for another major study Sex and the Pursuit of Happiness: How Other People’s Sex Lives are Related to our Sense of Well-Being , published a year earlier. According to its results In sex, happiness hinges on keeping up with the Joneses, CU-Boulder study finds , the percentage of happy people among those who had intercourse 2-3 times a week was still higher than among those who had sex once a week.
According to experts, such contradictory data may indicate that there is no universal norm in sex at all.
What is good for some couples is not suitable for everyone. For some, even once a week is too much, while for others it is truly not enough.
This thesis is confirmed by another recent study Does Increased Sexual Frequency Enhance Happiness? . In this study, half of the subjects were asked to have sex twice as often as usual. But they did not become happier as a result. On the contrary, these people experienced a decrease in libido and derived less pleasure from intimacy.
So what is the conclusion? Have sex as much as you and your partner want. Only you can determine your own norm. Although over time it may change as well.
How much sex is too much
The answer to this question, again, cannot be given in exact figures: everything is individual. But there are at least three situations when sex really becomes too much, and you should slow down.
1. Sex affects psychological state
There is a difference between hypersexuality and sexual addiction. In the first case, it’s about high desire, and there is nothing abnormal about it. The problem begins when you feel that:
- Your sexual impulses are out of control.
- You have sex despite risky consequences (for example, catching a venereal disease or losing a permanent partner).
- You use sex to drown out loneliness, depression, anxiety, or stress.
In these cases, it may be about addiction, so it would be wise to consult a psychotherapist or sexologist.
2. Sex worsens the state of the body
Even good things should be in moderation. If sex starts to negatively affect health, it is wise to heed the voice of reason and take a break. Problems, by the way, can arise in various forms: from dehydration and muscle strain to cystitis and vaginal pain.
3. One of the partners does not want intimacy
Different sexual temperaments in a couple are not uncommon. In this case, the partner who is endowed by nature with a higher libido should not pressure the other into sex. Of course, the problem should be addressed, but not through violence.
Possible solutions: a frank conversation and finding compromise solutions, consulting a doctor, or eventually, masturbation.
One can confidently say this: sex should bring joy. If it ceases to fulfill this important function, then it is time to stop and do something to rectify the situation.
