Sex is not only healthy for the body, it's also an excellent way to build and maintain a good relationship with your partner. One town official in Sweden is going above and beyond to ensure that his citizens have as much sex as possible. According to recent reports, Per-Erik Muskos of Overtornea wants Swedes to get an hour-long paid break from work to spend time with their partners, in others words, a paid “sex-break.”

Muskos, 42, recently presented a motion to give all Swedes an hour paid break from work to go home and have sex with their partners, and doesn’t see any reason why the motion would not be passed, The Daily Mail reported. According to Muskos, Swedish citizens are not spending enough time with each other, and giving them time off during the day could help strengthen relationships and citizens’ overall health.

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“There are studies that show sex is healthy,” explained Muskos, The Daily Mail reported. “It's about having better relationships.”

While the proposition may sound scandalous, Muskos may be onto something. Sex has numerous physical and mental health benefits. Here are just a few of the science-backed reasons to get in between the sheets a bit more.

Lowers Blood Pressure

According to a 2000 study, the combination of the cardiovascular workout associated with sex and the release of sex hormones is especially good for the heart and can help lower blood pressure. Prevention.com reports that high blood pressure plays a contributing role in more than 15 percent of all deaths in the U.S.

Improves Sleep

Many find it easier to slip away to sleep right after sex, and there’s a reason why. The release of hormones that occur during an orgasm help to relax us and promote sleep. This link between sex and better sleep isn’t just an old wives’ tale. Studies also found that women in relationships who happened to have higher levels of sexual desire got more sleep than their less lustful counterparts, suggesting a link between better sleep habits and more sexual activity, Discover Magazine reported. You do the math.

Reduces Anxiety And Promotes Better Mental Health

While BDSM may seem extremely stressful and intense, in reality the effects are the opposite. Research has shown that individuals who partake in BDSM report lower levels of psychological stress. This may be because sex alters blood flow to the brain, similar to exercise, and thus gives participants a sort of “runner’s high.”

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