Sex can help you sleep better

This so beats counting sheep

If you’re tossing and turning late at the night, here’s a fun way to help you clock more Zzz’s: One in six women reports sleeping better after sex, reports the Daily Mail, which cited a survey from the body care brand Sanctuary Spa.

There’s science to back it up, too: It all has to do with hormone production during intercourse, says Saralyn Mark, M.D., associate professor of medicine and OB/GYN at the Yale School of Medicine. See, sex boosts the production of oxytocin (which helps you and your S.O. bond) and decreases the production of cortisol (which induces stress). These hormonal changes leave your body in a relaxed state, making it easier for you to fall asleep. Not only that, but estrogen levels also increase, which can enhance a woman’s REM cycle for a deeper sleep, according to a previous study review published in the Journal of Women’s Health.