You’ll sleep better

We all need it, and most of us need more of it, so it can only be a bonus that orgasm releases prolactin, a hormone that makes you feel more relaxed and sleepy, the US-based National Sleep Foundation says. (That might account for the reason why your man starts snoring immediately after sex!) It works the other way too – studies have also suggested that the more rested you are, the more sex you want.

You’ll boost your immune

Researchers at Wilkes University in US found that people who have sex a couple of times a week received a boost to their immune system with a rise of 30% in levels of an antibody called immunoglobulin A, which can protect you from colds and flu.

You’ll look younger

Sounds too good to be true, right? Well Scottish clinical neuropsychologist Dr David Weeks, who’s done a lot of research in this field, says that his experience has been that older men and women with an active love life look five to seven years younger than their actual age. And quality is as important as quantity – so sex has its best effect when it’s “loving”.

Weeks says this effect is due to a combination of factors including the release of endorphins (which act as natural painkillers and reduces anxiety and aid sleep), the circulation boost from exercise, and the release of the human growth hormone that makes the skin look more elastic.

You’ll get fit

It may not burn as many calories as going for a run – unless you’re particularly energetic in bed – but it does count as exercise. A team from the University of Montreal revealed men burned around 100 calories in an average sex session (typically 25 minutes including foreplay in this study) and women managed about 70. Not a huge gain but a roll in the hay also involves using your muscles (experiment with different positions to use different muscle groups) and pumping up your heart rate, which can only be good. And just like any exercise, the benefits increase the more you do it.

Having sex three times a week could halve your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

Research from Queen’s University Belfast, UK

You’ll improve your heart health

Research from Queen’s University Belfast in UK found that having sex three times a week could halve your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Another study in Israel found that women who had two orgasms a week were up to 30% less likely to have heart disease than those who did not enjoy sex or didn’t have an orgasm. And a tumble under the covers has also been linked to preventing an increase in blood pressure during stressful events, says a Scottish study from the University of Paisley.

These advantages come from general good health practices like taking aerobic exercise, the stress reduction factor, and in women specifically, orgasm stimulates the release of the hormone oxytocin that has a direct effect on lowering blood pressure.

You’ll boost your brain power

Boffins at the universities of Coventry and Oxford linked frequent sexual activity to improved brain function in older adults. Those with the highest level of lust and thrust – more than once a week – scored the best in tests relating to attention, memory, language and spatial performance.

Scientists believe the brain boost is most likely due to the release of various chemicals during sex, most notably dopamine, which is the main fuel of the brain’s reward centre and plays a major role in learning. Another possibility is that frequent sex helps the brain grow new neurons, which is vital to the brain’s ability to adapt and change.