Scientists find evidence that an “optimal sexual frequency” exists and mitigates depression - people who engage in sexual activity at least once a week are less likely to experience symptoms of depression. Having sex one to two times per week may offer the greatest psychological benefits.
A new study published in the Journal of Emotional Disorders indicates that people who engage in sexual activities at least once a week are less likely to experience depressive symptoms. This study, based on a sample of American adults and using a large-scale, nationally representative sample, found that even when factors such as age, physical health, and socioeconomic status were taken into account, the frequency of sexual activity was negatively correlated with depression. The study also suggests that engaging in sexual activities once or twice a week may bring the greatest psychological benefits.
After eliminating the criteria, the final sample included 14,741 individuals. Approximately 7.5% of the participants had a PHQ-9 score indicating moderate to severe depression. Sexual behavior was classified into three levels: less than once a month, more than once a month but less than once a week, and at least once a week. The researchers also collected information on a variety of other variables, including age, gender, race, income, education level, marital status, insurance coverage, and physical health status as measured by the Charlson Comorbidity Index.
The researchers used statistical models to adjust for these potential confounding factors and discovered a clear association: People who have sex at least once a week have a significantly lower risk of depression than those who have sex less than once a month. Specifically, having sex once a week is associated with a 24% reduction in the risk of depression. Those who have sex more than once a month but less than once a week have a risk reduction of approximately 23% for depression.
The researchers also employed a flexible modeling technique called "restricted cubic splines" to examine whether the relationship between sexual activity frequency and depression was linear or non-linear. The analysis revealed what they termed the "saturation effect" - the psychological benefits of sexual activity seem to peak at frequencies ranging from 52 to 103 times per year (that is, once or twice per week). Beyond this range, increasing the frequency of sexual activity does not appear to provide additional antidepressant protection.
These findings remained robust across various statistical tests. For instance, even when participants taking antidepressants were excluded from the sample, the association between sexual activity frequency and depression remained significant. The researchers also conducted sensitivity analyses, using techniques such as multiple imputation to handle missing data, and inverse probability weighting to adjust for potential biases. Through these different methods, we concluded that the higher the frequency of sexual activity, the lower the probability of developing depression.
Interestingly, the protective association between sexual behavior and depression seems to be stronger in certain groups. Young people (aged 20-39), Mexican Americans, non-Hispanic whites, and those without health insurance all showed a stronger association. However, the researchers did not find significant differences in terms of gender, income level, or education level, and there was no statistically significant interaction between the frequency of sexual behavior and these sub-group variables.
However, it is worth noting that this study was a cross-sectional study, meaning that all the data were collected at the same point in time. Therefore, the researchers were unable to determine whether a decrease in sexual activity frequency would lead to depression, whether depression would reduce sexual activity, or whether both were influenced by other common factors. Self-reported sexual activity may also be affected by recall bias or social expectation effects. Moreover, this study did not consider sexual orientation, relationship satisfaction, or other background factors that might simultaneously affect sexual activity and mental health.
Nevertheless, the author believes that the frequency of sexual activity can serve as a useful behavioral indicator in mental health screenings and treatments. They point out that sexual activity is a multi-dimensional experience that combines elements such as emotions, physiology, and interpersonal relationships. Regular sexual activity helps to relieve stress, enhance intimacy and emotional connection - all of which may play a role in protecting mental health. From a physiological perspective, sexual activity is related to the release of endorphins and other neurochemical substances known to enhance mood. It can also be regarded as a form of physical exercise, and physical exercise itself has well-documented benefits for mental health.
Researchers caution that their findings should not be interpreted as encouraging people to engage in sexual activities without any selection. Instead, they believe that maintaining moderate and continuous sexual activity - especially in a satisfying relationship - may contribute to mental health. They also stress that medical professionals need to incorporate sexual health into mental health assessments, as sexual dysfunction or low frequency of sexual activity can be both symptoms and causes of depression. For patients taking antidepressants, these considerations may be particularly important, as antidepressants often have sexual side effects.
