Sex with a partner brings a 48-hour ‘afterglow’ (and it keeps couples together)

Sex with a partner brings a 48-hour ‘afterglow’ which is crucial to keeping couples together – as it makes them feel content in their relationships.

Sex causes the release of the ‘cuddle hormone’ oxytocin – but scientists didn’t know how long its effects lasted.

Scientists asked 214 newlywed couples to fill out ‘sex diaries’ for 14 days – asking them to note how often they made love, and how they felt about their relationships.

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The researchers found that during the ‘afterglow’, couples felt content in their relationship – and it lasts for up to 48 hours, fading by the third day.

One theory is that this period allows the man’s sperm count to bounce back, according to the researchers.

‘This is the first research to quantify the length of the sexual afterglow and to examine its benefits,’ said Dr Andrea Meltzer, of Florida State University.

‘Our research shows that sexual satisfaction remains elevated 48 hours after sex. The afterglow appears to last approximately the same length of time that it takes for peak sperm concentration to be restored

‘And people with a stronger sexual afterglow — that is, people who report a higher level of sexual satisfaction 48 hours after sex — report higher levels of relationship satisfaction several months later.’