Having an active sex life plays a major role in your financial success.

Nick Drydakis, a senior lecturer in economics at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, England, found that those who have sex at least four times weekly made 5% more in wages than their counterparts who aren't as lucky.

On the other hand, those who don't have any sex at all earned 3% less than those who are sexually active.

In the paper titled "The Effect of Sexual Activity on Wages," published by the Institute for the Study of Labor in Bonn, Germany, Drydakis writes that sex is a "barometer for health, quality of life, well-being and happiness."

The economics professor says that more sex alone won't result in a higher paycheck. However, more sexual activity may result in higher self-esteem, confidence, and overall happiness, which in turn make employees more amiable, productive, and creative. Sex can be an important factor in how satisfied someone is in his personal life, and satisfaction in that area can affect work as well.

"People need to love and be loved (sexually and non-sexually) by others. In the absence of these elements, many people become susceptible to loneliness, social anxiety, and depression that could affect their working life," Drydakis told Michelle Castillo at CBSNews.com.

It's also important to note that more sex can result in higher wages, but higher wages may also result in more sex. "They may increase the value and attractiveness of a person on the dating market," Drydakis says.

The study collected data on 7,500 people aged 26 to 50. Sexual preference did not make a difference in the results, the study found.