Married and stressed? Have more sex

Married but remain stressed owing to work or family-related issues? Have frequent sex to shun those unnecessary bouts of tension and lead a healthy life.

Married but remain stressed owing to work or family-related issues? Have frequent sex to shun those unnecessary bouts of tension and lead a healthy life. In a first such study on married couple in the Philippines, researchers found that married couples should work more to build intimacy in the marriage.

"A healthy sex life equates to better psychological health," D. Liza Espiritu, a clinic operations manager of the PhilhealthCare Inc., was quoted as saying in media reports.

The study, commissioned by the country's Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO), revealed that married persons are getting less sex compared to the widowed or separated individuals.

Called the first "Wellness Index in the Philippines", the study involved 1,200 respondents aged 21 to 55 years.

It noted how a married person only has sex 2.95 times per week while a widowed and separated individual has it 4.33 and 4.38 times a week, respectively.

"Widowed or separated people are already liberated in romantic commitments," Espiritu added.

The study, however, said Filipinos are generally satisfied with their sexual partners -- having sex nearly three times a week on the average.