Science Says This Is How Great Sex Can Lead To A Great Relationship

When there's something we don't understand, we turn to science for an explanation...and there are few things we find more confusing than sex, love, and relationships. Science hasn't cracked all their secrets yet but it's certainly making headway, most recently in a study published in the Journal of Sex Research.

The study, "Sexual Transformations and Intimate Behaviors in Romantic Relationships," sought to examine the connections between sexual transformations (changes in sexual behavior for a partner), intimate behaviors, and relationship quality among couples in romantic relationships.

The findings indicate that relationship satisfaction is positively associated with three things:

• Your partner's frequent sexual transformations
• Your positive feelings about your own sexual transformations
• Intimate behavior between partners

The study also found that, in less intimate relationships, relationship satisfaction is greater when partners undergo more sexual transformations.

Let's break it down.

Dan Savage says that the ideal partner is GGG - Good (in bed), Giving (of equal time and pleasure), and Game (for anything - within reason). Although the sexual transformations study wasn't specifically testing Savage's claim, it seems to have proved that being "game for anything - within reason" is an important way to contribute to intimacy and satisfaction in a relationship.

To study sexual transformations, researchers asked 96 heterosexual couples about changes they had made for their partners regarding often they have sex, the kinds of sexual activities they engage in, and how they communicate about sex and intimacy. Participants also shared their feelings about these changes and discussed the frequency with which they engaged in affectionate behaviors, like cuddling and kissing, with their partners.

The highest levels of satisfaction weren't linked to an individual's sexual transformations, but rather with the sexual transformations of an individual's partner. In other words, it's not your sexual transformations that make you happy - it's your partner's.

When you think about it, it makes perfect sense. When you observe your partner making adjustments in order to adapt to your needs - like switching up the frequency of sexual activity - you feel heard, respected, and rewarded in your relationship. What's not to love about that?

The study also found that participants who felt most positive about the changes they made reported higher levels of relationship satisfaction. Again, it all makes perfect sense - when we see that the changes we've made have made our partner happy, we become happier in return. It's a beautiful thing!

The bottom line is that we should all approach relationships and sexuality with an open mind and an open heart. Communicate your interests, explore your partner's needs, and be willing to be a little game.