Study reveals the number of times a person should be intimate per week to prevent depression

A study has revealed the number of times a person should have sex each week to avoid depression.

There's an optimal amount of sex to have each week. Credit: Tom Merton / Getty

Let's be honest, sleeping with someone will generally put a smile on your face anyway, but could this also be backed by science?

According to a brand-new study, there’s an “optimal” number of times you should be having sex per week - and hitting that magic number could actually help reduce symptoms of depression.

It may seem like common sense that sex and happiness are linked, but this new research dives deeper into how regular sex is tied to your overall emotional wellbeing - not just the physical perks.

The study, which was published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, was led by researchers from The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University and Shantou University Medical College.

Sex can help with mental health. Credit: Oleksandr Sharkov / Getty

Their goal is to see whether “sexual activity might serve as a behavioural indicator related to mental health.”

Using a U.S.-based sample of young to middle-aged adults (ages 20 to 59), they examined the emotional impact of how frequently people were getting it on.

The big takeaway? People who have sex at least once a week are less likely to suffer from depression.

And when it comes to getting the maximum mental health benefits? It turns out that once or twice a week is the sweet spot.

The researchers explained that sex once or twice weekly is the “optimal amount,” offering the greatest psychological benefits.

The study suggests having sex one to two times a week. Credit: DMP / Getty

But more doesn’t necessarily mean better. They identified what they call a “saturation effect,” which means that after a certain point, the mental health perks kinda level off.

To be exact, those psychological benefits “peaked” at a frequency of 52 to 103 times a year. That’s right - right around one to two sessions a week.

So, no shade to those getting lucky five times a week (congrats, truly), but according to the study, that level of action may not bring more psychological benefit than a steady one or two times weekly.

However, the scientists did throw in an important note: this doesn’t definitively confirm a negative correlation between depression and frequent sexual activity.

Everything is good in moderation. Credit: Peter Cade / Getty

The data was “cross-sectional,” meaning it was taken at a single point in time - so we’re not yet talking long-term cause and effect.

Still, the authors argue that sexual frequency is a “useful” behavioral marker for mental health.

After all, sex releases feel-good endorphins, helps reduce stress, encourages emotional bonding, and fosters intimacy - all of which can help boost your mood and mental state.

So if you’re wondering how much sex is “just right,” science suggests that one to two times a week might be the perfect rhythm for both body and mind.

Featured image credit: Oleksandr Sharkov / Getty