This is why sex leads to an 'afterglow' that lasts for two days

And it's great for our health. We're sold.

Words by Jadie Troy-Pryde

We might 'never understand' everything about erections (according to that Reddit thread), but when it comes to sex we're pretty pleased with our extensive knowledge. We know that this is the most popular time of the week to get between the sheets, we know how long sex is really meant to last, and we know why everyone raves about these Kamasutra positions.

But what we didn't know was that having sex with your partner has so many health benefits, and they last for up to 48-hours afterwards. Score.

According to scientists, this 'afterglow' keeps us happy, and if adults have sex every few days they are more likely to be content.

The research consisted of getting 214 couples to keep a diary of how often they had sex over a two week period, with side notes about how satisfying it was and how they felt about their relationship. They then repeated the experiment six months later.

The results showed that the couples had sex three times a week on average, and that there was a positive 'afterglow' for up to two days afterwards.

Dr Andrea Meltzer, one of the lead researchers at Florida State University, said: 'Our research shows sexual satisfaction remains elevated 48 hours after sex.

'The afterglow appears to last approximately the same length of time it takes for peak sperm concentration to be restored.

'And people with a stronger sexual afterglow report higher levels of relationship satisfaction several months later.'

Considering this is how often the average Brit has sex each week, it looks like we're definitely on track to getting our afterglows.