New research has found that the more sex older married couples have, the happier they are.

US researchers surveyed almost 240 married people who were all aged 65 or older. They found that levels of sexual activity were a significant predictor of happiness - both marital happiness and happiness in general.

In fact, 60% of older married couples who had sex at least once a month were said to be very happy with their lives in general, compared to just 40% of those who had not had sex within the last year.

When it came specifically to marital happiness, 80% of those who had sex at least once a month said they were very happy, compared to just 59% who had not had sex within the last year.

These results stood even after other factors were taken into account, such as financial status, health status and age.

According to the researchers from Florida, ‘highlighting the relationship between sex and happiness will help us in developing and organising specific sexual health interventions for this growing segment of our population'.

Details of these findings were presented at the annual scientific meeting of the Gerontological Society of America in Boston.