Want to have more sex with your guy? Just slip into something seductive…like your running shoes. Seriously: Couples that run together may have more sex, according to a recent survey conducted by Wakefield Research.
For the Brooks Run Happy Nation Report, 1000 runners across the country weighed in on how pounding the pavement affects peoples’ lives—and 66 percent of respondents said that couples that run together have more sex.
While it’s unclear whether the runners polled were talking about their own sex lives or guessing what goes on in other runners’ bedrooms, it makes sense that running together could boost both of your libidos, says Terri Orbuch, Ph.D., relationship expert and author of Finding Love Again: 6 Simple Steps to a New and Happy Relationship. After all, running releases adrenaline and endorphins, the same brain chemicals triggered by love and arousal. And when your partner is running alongside you as these feelings flow, something awesome happens: You associate the good vibes with your partner, which makes you want him or her even more—and vice-versa.
Better yet, the feel-good chemicals that flow post-run make you feel awesome about your body—and more willing to show it off between the sheets, says Orbuch.
That said, running isn’t the only thing you can do with your partner to amp up your arousal. Any strenuous exercise—think cycling, hiking, aerobics, kickboxing, intense weight lifting, and even salsa dancing—should stoke both of your libidos.
If your partner isn’t into fitness—and the prospect of more sex doesn’t change that—other activities like riding a roller coaster, seeing a scary movie, or trying an extreme but not-so-strenuous sport like paragliding together can produce similar effects, says Orbuch. The key is that all of these activities trigger the same intense adrenaline rush that makes runners want to take off their sneakers… along with everything else.
More from Women’s Health:
Workout Routines For Couples
6 Reasons to Start Running
The Beginner Running Plan