A healthy sex life with your partner could be
unknowingly giving your career a boost. Image:
Yuri/istock.com via AFP Relaxnews
Prioritizing 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, University of Oregon, and 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 responses showed that employees who had
made time for sex at 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 organizations they work for.”
Leavitt also explained that because sex triggers
the release of dopamine (a neurotransmitter
associated with the reward centers in the brain)
and 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.”
Satisfaction