Importance of Sex in Marriage: 15 Physical & Psychological Benefits

Marriage changes with time; bodies change, routines settle, emotions deepen. Somewhere between shared responsibilities and quiet evenings, physical closeness can begin to feel complicated… or quietly powerful. Sex isn’t just about desire or frequency; it’s about feeling chosen, relaxed, and understood.

It can soften arguments, restore confidence, and remind two people that they are still very much “us,” not just partners in logistics.

The importance of sex in marriage often shows up in subtle ways, through better sleep, lighter moods, stronger trust, and a sense of emotional safety that words alone can’t always reach.

When intimacy feels connected rather than pressured, it supports both the body and the mind, creating space for affection, reassurance, and renewal.

What is sex?

Sex is an intimate physical activity where people arouse their partner or themselves by way of words or touch. For some, sex might only mean the act of sexual intercourse, and for some, it might mean touching the genitals or kissing and cuddling.

Human beings are programmed to seek sex. It is a desire innate within all of us, and we tend to fulfill this desire with our partner. Sex is an important part of marriage.

It carries numerous emotional and physical benefits for both the husband and the wife, as well as their relationship. Sex is a necessity for a happy married life for the following reasons.

• How often should you have sex?

When you and your life partner put sexual closeness higher on the stepping stool in your marriage, you will both be more joyful and more advantageous.

Most people will probably agree that sex is vital for a happy marriage. For sure, sex and intimacy help draw the couple closer and understand each other better.

Importance of sex in marriage

Why is sex important in marriage? Sex and marriage go hand in hand. If you can buy this argument, you can most likely understand why sex is so important in a marriage. Given that, not much is said about the importance of sex in marriage.

All I know is that intimacy enhances long-term relationships. Sex does not have to happen with any specific measure of frequency or abundance, necessarily, but the more it happens, the more it enhances a relationship, and the better you both feel.

By this logic, it would stand to reason that a complete lack of physical intimacy would be detracting from the relationship, just as a lack of icing detracts from a cupcake.

If you’re not sure about this, I would suggest adding some sexual intimacy into your relationship (more than one go-round), creating romance, and taking stock of whether doing this enhances, detracts, or does nothing for you as a couple.

We do know that healthy sex in marriage is one of the most commonly cited traits among happy couples when asked how they make it work.  These couples have managed to maintain marriage intimacy for years while understanding the role of sex in marriage, still enjoying their bond, and keeping the fondness they have for one another.

Another reason why sex is important in a marriage is that it has been shown that intimate activity causes the release of powerful endorphins that flow through reward pathways in the brain, inducing euphoria and feelings of love.

Couples who engage in good sex in marriage also gain the added benefit of aerobic workout, which is the best type of workout for weight loss, not to mention a great investment in your health.

Both body and mind are affected by this powerful release. If you want to know more about this aspect of intimacy, read a book by Olivia St. John, or pick up a copy of the Kama Sutra, or any other manual that uses the term “tantric” in its description.

15 physical and psychological benefits of sex in marriage

How important is sex in marriage?

Sex in a happy marriage is important, and just as important is open communication. Communication that offers a compromise, discusses the desired frequency of sex, likes, dislikes, and preferences, are discussions that can improve things that otherwise would stay unchanged for years.

The importance of sex in marriage is immense, and if there are problems prevalent in your sex life, proper communication can help. The importance of sex in a happy marriage cannot be marginalized. Through communication, the roadblocks to a healthy sex life can be overcome.

The importance of sex in marriage is very comprehensive.

1. Anti-aging benefits

Sex has some anti-aging benefits associated with it; having sex releases anti-inflammatory molecules in our body, which aid in the repair work in our bodies. Our bodies continuously experience damage and repair.

Boosting the repair process can slow down the aging process and, in turn, help us maintain a youthful appearance for a longer period.

Here’s how to get the most out of it:

• Prioritize consistency over frequency; regular intimacy matters more than intensity
• Stay hydrated and nourish your body to support cellular repair
• Combine intimacy with adequate sleep to enhance recovery benefits

2. Improves self-esteem

Apart from improving your mood and increasing happiness, sex is known to work as a stress relief. It also helps to improve an individual’s sense of self-worth or self-image.

Regular intimacy can reinforce feelings of desirability and acceptance, reminding partners they are valued. Over time, this reassurance can foster greater confidence, emotional security, and a more positive connection with one’s body.

Here’s how to get the most out of it:

• Express attraction verbally, not just physically
• Focus on presence and connection, not performance
• Create a judgment-free space where both partners feel safe

3. Increased levels of commitment

Sex, in all, is about intimacy, pleasure, and sexual expression. Sex helps build a stronger bond between couples and develops a deeper sense of intimacy in loving relationships.

The loving physical contact releases endorphins that help induce a feeling of well-being and the feeling of being loved. These endorphins also increase the desire to bond between spouses, resulting in cuddling and holding each other, specifically right after sex.

They feel an attraction towards each other, and being aware that your partner is attracted to you helps boost your self-esteem. It makes them feel desirable and much more confident in their daily lives.

Moreover, being able to satisfy each other sexually, spouses tend to form deeper emotional connections. Sexual satisfaction is closely related to the overall quality of life.

Here’s how to get the most out of it:

• Spend a few minutes reconnecting after intimacy, not rushing away
• Use affectionate touch outside the bedroom, too
• Check in emotionally, not just physically

4. Elevated moods

Physical intimacy brings about a positive attitude. Both partners feel good about themselves and realize that their partner is still very much interested in them. This helps reduce insecurity, especially among women, and makes the spouses want each other more.

Related Reading: Using experience-sampling data from 188 romantic couples, findings showed a bidirectional link between mood and sexual desire within and between partners. Positive mood increased desire, while negative mood reduced it; likewise, stronger sexual desire improved positive mood and lowered negative mood for both partners.

Having an attraction for each other results in no tension among the spouses, and sex is never considered a responsibility but rather an act of pleasing and attaining pleasure. Moreover, sex is known to relieve depression and reduce levels of stress.

Here’s how to get the most out of it:

• Choose intimacy during relaxed moments, not rushed ones
• Address emotional tension before physical closeness
• Treat sex as a shared pleasure, not a task

5. Improved lifestyle

Sexual activity offers a wide range of physical and emotional benefits that can positively influence daily life. Regular intimacy supports better circulation, boosts energy levels, and encourages bodily awareness.

Over time, this can contribute to improved fitness, healthier routines, reduced stress, and a more balanced, active lifestyle overall.

Here’s how to get the most out of it:

• Pair intimacy with other healthy habits like walks or stretching
• Keep screens away to stay physically engaged
• Listen to your body and pace yourself

6. Better skin and appearance

It has been proven by countless studies that regular sex can make you look younger. Sex makes you sweat a lot, which leads to flushing out the toxins from your skin, leaving behind a dewy glow.

Your heart also beats faster during sex, improving blood circulation and leaving behind a flushed effect on the skin. Moreover, we often use our facial muscles to express ourselves during a sexual encounter, which can result in fewer wrinkles.

Here’s how to get the most out of it:

• Cleanse skin after intimacy to prevent clogged pores
• Stay hydrated before and after
• Reduce stress, which directly affects skin health

7. Improved immunity

Physical intimacy also leads to the release of an antibody called immunoglobulin A.

This helps protect the body against diseases. It also helps release other anti-inflammatory chemicals in the body that repair worn-out and damaged tissues, thereby enhancing the immune system.

Here’s how to get the most out of it:

• Maintain overall wellness through nutrition and sleep
• Avoid intimacy when unwell to allow recovery
• Reduce chronic stress, which weakens immunity

8· Lighter periods in women

This is an added benefit of sex for women. Most women experience severe cramps during their menstrual periods. Regular sex can help reduce cramping because of the frequent contraction of the uterus.

This helps expel pain-causing toxins and tissues from the body, resulting in a lighter period that ends more quickly.

Here’s how to get the most out of it:

• Communicate comfort levels clearly during periods
• Choose gentle positions that reduce pressure
• Focus on relaxation rather than performance

9· Better sleep

Oxytocin is released during orgasm achieved through sexual activity. Oxytocin carries a calming effect and the ability to promote a much peaceful sleep for both partners.

Physical relaxation and emotional closeness afterward help quiet the mind. This makes it easier to fall asleep faster and enjoy deeper, more restorative rest.

Here’s how to get the most out of it:

• Avoid screens immediately after intimacy
• Wind down together instead of separating quickly
• Keep bedtime intimacy relaxed, not rushed

10· Relieved bodily pains

Oxytocin is also responsible for relieving body pains such as headaches, etc. The compound is also known for its ability to reduce cardiac issues.

Sexual activity can trigger the release of natural pain-relieving hormones. This may help alleviate muscle tension, reduce discomfort, and promote a general sense of physical well-being.

Here’s how to get the most out of it:

• Choose comfortable positions that avoid strain
• Stretch gently before and after intimacy
• Pay attention to your body’s limits

11. Family extension

Many couples decide to have children after marriage and tend to do so within a few years of getting married. With children, couples tend to grow closer to each other, and their love for one another only deepens.

Not only is the joy of becoming parents from their union what knits them together, but it is also seen that husbands tend to take care of their wives much more during pregnancy.

Here’s how to get the most out of it:

• Communicate openly about readiness and expectations
• Support each other emotionally during transitions
• Keep intimacy alive beyond reproductive goals

12. Sex is a stress-buster

After a long day at the office, dealing with work, household chores, children, and a grumpy spouse all at the same time, most of us are not only tired but also stressed.

The benefit of having sex is that it helps us cope with stress better because it releases feel-good endorphins in our bodies. It also helps the body relax, which is why many people naturally drift into a deep, restful sleep afterward.

Here’s how to get the most out of it:

• Choose moments when stress is highest, not exhaustion
• Focus on connection rather than duration
• Use intimacy as a way to unwind together

13. Sex is an excellent workout

Sex naturally engages multiple muscle groups, increases heart rate, and improves blood circulation. It keeps the body active while boosting flexibility and stamina.

While it may not replace a full gym session, regular intimacy can still contribute to physical movement, calorie use, and overall fitness in a way that feels far more enjoyable than traditional exercise.

Here’s how to get the most out of it:

• Vary positions to engage different muscles
• Maintain steady breathing to support endurance
• Treat movement as playful, not strenuous

14. Releasing happy hormones

Frequent sex is known to release endorphins that help to make you feel good, fight off depression, and lower irritability.

Another importance of sex in a relationship is that during sexual stimulation, the hormone oxytocin is released, which aids with bonding and feelings of connectedness and security. It’s not difficult to see how this alone can benefit your marriage.

Here’s how to get the most out of it:

• Slow down to enhance emotional connection
• Maintain eye contact and an affectionate touch
• Express appreciation after intimacy

Watch this TED in which psychotherapist Esther Perel explains how balancing security and mystery helps sustain desire in long-term relationships:

15. It improves heart health

Frequent sex is known to release endorphins that help to make you feel good, fight off depression, and lower irritability.

Another importance of sex in marriage is that during sexual stimulation, the hormone oxytocin is released, which aids with bonding and feelings of connectedness and security. It’s not difficult to see how this alone can benefit your marriage.

Here’s how to get the most out of it:

• Maintain a healthy pace that suits both partners
• Combine intimacy with an active lifestyle
• Manage stress together, inside and outside the bedroom

How to have better sex in marriage

Although sex can be pleasurable with anyone, the emotional need can only be fulfilled with someone you love. This may only be achieved in a long-term relationship, such as marriage. Sex is essential in marriage to thrive and carry that ‘spark’ for years and years.

A word to the wise

Sex in marriage isn’t about perfection, performance, or keeping score; it’s about connection, comfort, and feeling close in ways words can’t always explain. Some seasons are passionate, while others are quieter, and both are normal.

What matters is the shared intention to stay emotionally and physically connected, with patience, warmth, and honesty. Intimacy can heal, reassure, and gently remind two people why they chose each other in the first place.

When couples pause to ask how important sex is in a relationship, the answer often lies in the calm, closeness, and emotional security that follow. It’s less about frequency, more about feeling truly together.

Marriage.com Assessment

Relationship Test: What Help Does Your Relationship Need Most Right Now?

If your relationship feels off balance, if communication feels harder, connection weaker, or tension more frequent, this assessment can help you understand what’s happening beneath the surface. Grounded in relationship psychology and evidence-...

Questions: 20 | Last updated: Nov 18, 2025

Sample Question

When you and your partner talk about something important…

We listen with care — even hard talks feel safe and productive

We try to talk, but lately emotional closeness feels harder to reach

I want to be open, but part of me still guards my heart

Our discussions sometimes spiral or end unresolved

It’s hard to feel close because our physical intimacy hasn’t felt strong lately

We often see things differently about goals or priorities

Take the Quiz Now

Tips

Write your tip or submit a video tip

All tips are reviewed before the publishing.

You are: Reader Expert

Upload a Video Tip

>

Add your profile photo

Note - JPG, JPEG, PNG or GIF Max file 100Kb

Submit

We appreciate you sharing a tip for review!

Write Another Tip

Kelli H Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Kelli Hastings is a writer, social worker, and proud advocate for women. She earned her B.A. degree from the University of Oregon in 2007, and worked as a behavior support specialist and program manager. She is inspired to support couples, teach them skills that lead to healthy, happy and romantic... Read more partnerships. Her interests include cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, visualization practice, and related therapies. Read less