Happy at 65 - courtesy sex!

Washington - The more often married individuals above the age of 65 engage in sex, the more likely they are to be happy with both their lives and marriages.

Based on the survey responses of 238 married individuals aged 65 years or older, Adrienne Jackson found that frequency of sex significantly predicted both general and marital happiness.

The link even remained after accounting for factors such as age, gender, health status, and satisfaction with financial situations, said Jackson, assistant professor at Florida Agriculture and Mechanical University.

While only 40 percent of individuals who reported no sexual activity in the last 12 months said they were very happy with life in general, almost 60 percent who engaged in sexual activity more than once a month said they were very happy, according to a Florida statement.

Similarly, while about 59 percent of individuals who reported no sexual activity in the last 12 months said they were very happy with their marriage, almost 80 percent who had sex more than once a month said they were very happy.

To assess frequency of sexual activity, respondents were asked the following question: "About how many times did you have sex during the last 12 months? By 'sex' we mean vaginal, oral, or anal sex."

To assess general happiness, respondents were asked the following question: "Taken all together, how would you say things are these days - would you say that you are very happy, pretty happy, or not too happy?"

To assess marital happiness, respondents were asked the following question: "Taking things all together, how would you describe your marriage? Would you say that your marriage is very happy, pretty happy, or not too happy?"

These findings were presented at The Gerontological Society of America's (GSA) 64th Annual Scientific Meeting in Boston.