“After a breakup, people feel withdrawal from being touched a lot in a relationship. It can be helpful and healing to be touched again,” says Rich. The physical act of sex itself can also raise peoples spirits. “The sexual release releases different neurotransmitters that actually improve our mood,” says Rich.

How long should you wait after a breakup to hook up?

Most people need a month or two to process the breakup, to mourn, and to integrate lessons before jumping back in if they were in a fairly serious relationship, she says. If you dated someone for a year or more, you may need three to four months.