It is the news that frustrated partners have probably been longing to hear -- regular sex is the secret to a happy life.

A team of international researchers has carried out a study and found that sex is better for one's happiness than money, the 'WebMD' reported.

"The evidence we see is that money brings some happiness, but not as much as what economists might think. We had to look to psychologists and realise that other things really matter.

"We found sex counts so strongly and positively in happiness equations," lead researcher David Blachflower of Dartmouth College said.

The researchers came to the conclusion after analysing data on the self-reported levels of sexual activity and happiness of 16,000 people.

Despite popular opinion, they found that having more money did not mean one gets more sex; there's no difference between the frequency of sex and income level.

But the team found that sex had a greater effect on happiness levels in highly-educated and wealthier people than on those with lower educational status. According to them, the happiest folks are those getting the most sex -- married people, who report 30 per cent more between-the-sheets action than single folks.

"Many studies confirm that people who are depressed have less sex. Conversely, if you're not depressed -- happy, as some might say -- you're more likely to have more frequent sex," another researcher Robert Hatfield of the University of Cincinnati was quoted as saying.