Having an Active Sex Life Linked to Better Job Satisfaction, Office Engagement

A new study from Oregon State University revealed that employees who have healthy sex life are more likely to be happier in their jobs and more engaged in the office.

The study, published in the Journal of Management, showed that employees who have sex the night before experience a so-called "morning positive effect". These positive moods and elevated mood levels experienced by employees who had sex the night before going to work appear to have more sustained work engagement and job satisfaction throughout their work day.

"We make jokes about people having a 'spring in their step,' but it turns out this is actually a real thing and we should pay attention to it," said Keith Leavitt, an associate professor at OSU's College of Business and lead author of the study, in a press release. "Maintaining a healthy relationship that includes a healthy sex life will help employees stay happy and engaged in their work, which benefits the employees and the organizations they work for."

For the study, the researchers recruited 159 married employees. The couples were asked to complete two brief surveys each day for two weeks. The researchers observed that couples who have sex reported more positive moods the next day, which led to a more sustained work engagement and job satisfaction throughout the whole work day.

The researchers found that the positive effects of sex tend to linger for at least 24 hours and were equally strong for both men and women. Furthermore, the beneficial effect of sex was still present even after the researchers take into account marital satisfaction and sleep quality, which is considered to be common predictors of daily mood.

During sexual intercourse, the body releases dopamine and oxytocin. Dopamine is neurotransmitter associated with the reward centers of the brain, while oxytocin is neuropeptide associated with social bonding and attachment. The researchers noted that the release of dopamine and oxytocin make sex a natural and relatively automatic mood elevator that can have benefits extending the next day.