Hi °C | Lo °C MODEL husbands who cook, clean and help around the house may be missing out in bed, according to researchers.
Married men are likely to have less sex if they do a lot of housework but they could improve this by easing off the washing-up and chopping wood instead. "Couples in which men participate more in housework typically done by women report having sex less frequently," said study leader Dr Sabino Kornrich, from the Juan March Institute in Madrid, Spain.
"Similarly, couples in which men participate more in traditionally masculine tasks --such as yard work, paying bills, and auto maintenance -- report higher sexual frequency."
The results suggest that adopting traditional gender roles is important to sexual desire and performance.
Data from the US National Survey of Families and Households was used in the study, published in the American Sociological Review.
During the month prior to the survey, men claimed to have sex an average of 5.2 times and women 5.6 times. Couples in which women did most chores had sex more often.
