Why Cuddling Is an Important Part of Sex Life

Why does sex make people happy? Of course, sex is generally pleasurable. However, it’s been years since medical experts have determined that, beyond the pleasure sex brings during the act, people who have sex on a regular basis tend to be happier in life. So, of course, it makes sense to query the factors that might be driving this happiness; or, at the very least, that was the purpose Anik Debrot had in mind when she began exploring the matter.

What is it about the sexual act that makes people's lives happier? Well, if you think that the only reason lies in some chemicals or hormones like endorphins that are released during sex, a study from the Cognition and Affect Regulation Laboratory (University of Lausanne, Switzerland) would disagree, at least partially.

Sex, Cuddling, and Happiness

Sex tends to bring people closer at the emotional level. It makes them bond in ways that most other activities cannot achieve. However, according to Anik's research, the happiness that people garner from sex has more to do with the cuddling that happens after sex rather than during it. The wellbeing that people elicit from sex comes from the positive feelings that are exchanged in the process. That sense of receiving affection and giving affection not only improves mental health but it can even make the bliss of sex last much longer.

To prove this theory, Anik and her team analyzed over three hundred men and women, interviewing them about their sexual habits, how much kissing, hugging and cuddling they usually have during sex, their level of satisfaction in life and so on.

Anik found that people who have more sex tend to lead more satisfied lives. Additionally, affectionate touching seemed to factor into the level of satisfaction people tended to have, both during sex and generally in life.

Acts like kissing, and especially cuddling, allow people to pass on their positive emotions in very tangible ways, and, according to Anik, this can have a drastic impact on the mind and body.

Of course, when one mentions the benefits of sex, people begin to wonder what the right amount of sex might be in order to deliver all those benefits. While some people may have presumed that having the right amount of sex to enjoy its benefits could be exhausting, Anik’s research suggests that once a week is just enough for most people.

The study didn’t actually attempt to figure out whether people could be happy and affectionate even while having very little sex. However, it definitely validates opinions that sex is good for the well-being of most people. And even if having sex every day would be overkill, one can enjoy the benefits of sex by simply performing the activity once a week, so long as they make an effort to show affection through intimate actions like cuddling and kissing.