Neurotic people need more sex

Neurotic people may struggle with relationships and marriage, but a new study finds that if they frequently have sex with their partner, they feel better.

In the study, neuroticism was measured as a tendency to experience negative emotion - neurotics get upset and irritated easily, are moody, and worry a lot. However, the US study, announced in a December 7th news release, reports that sexual frequency in marriage reduces these negative effects.

To find out what role sex plays in marital bliss for neurotic types, the researchers followed 72 newlywed couples over the first four years of their marriage; both spouses reported - separately and privately - on their marital satisfaction and sexual frequency every six months. On average, couples reported sexual intercourse about once a week during the first six months of marriage, and about three times a month by the fourth year of marriage. While most couples didn't measure marital satisfaction with sexual frequency, the neurotic spouses did. The more sex they had, the better they felt about themselves, their lives, and their marriage.

Interestingly, researchers stated that the effect of frequent sexual activity was enough to completely wipe away the "happiness deficit" that neurotic spouses usually have. "Frequent sex is one way that some neurotic people are able to maintain satisfying relationships," the study authors stated in the release.

The study is published in the current issue of the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science.

Access the study here: http://spp.sagepub.com/content/early/2010/10/09/1948550610387162.full.pdf+html

Boring bedroom got your down? A few articles to get you in the mood:
http://www.helium.com/knowledge/26449-how-to-improve-your-sex-life
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/family/marriage-sex/improve-love-life-0407
http://www.ivillage.com/3-strategies-revive-your-sex-life-0/6-a-126714