Prioritising sex when you get home from a
hard day at the office can give your work a
boost the next day according to new
research.
Carried out by a team from Oregon State
University, the University of Oregon, and
the University of Washington, the
researchers followed 159 married
employees over the course of two weeks
and asked them to complete two brief
surveys each day. The study was
published in the Journal Of Management .
The responses showed that employees
who made time for sex after work when
they got home reported more positive
moods the next day once back in the
office, and this better mood in the morning
led to more sustained engagement in their
work and job satisfaction throughout the
workday.
The effect was seen even after the
researchers took into account marital
satisfaction and sleep quality, which are
two common predictors of daily mood, and
appeared to last for at least 24 hours.
It was also equally strong for both men
and women.
“We make jokes about people having a
‘spring in their step,’ but it turns out this is
actually a real thing and we should pay
attention to it,” said Keith Leavitt, one of
the study’s co-authors, “Maintaining a
healthy relationship that includes a healthy
sex life will help employees stay happy and
engaged in their work, which benefits the
employees and the organisations they work
for.”Positive emotions that come from sex can
make your feel better at work the next
day. Photo: AFP/Istock
Leavitt also explained that because sex
triggers the release of dopamine, a
neurotransmitter associated with the
reward centres in the brain, as well as
oxytocin, a neuropeptide associated with
social bonding and attachment, it is a
natural mood elevator with benefits that
can last well into the next day.
The study also showed that bringing work-
related stress home from the office can
have a negative impact on employees’ sex
lives, with Leavitt adding that in a world
where we are constantly connected to
work via smartphones and emails, the
findings highlight the importance of
switching off and leaving work back at the
office.
“This is a reminder that sex has social,
emotional and physiological benefits, and
it’s important to make it a priority,” Leavitt
said. “Just make time for it."