Are you getting more or less than most people?
So you thought when you got married you’d be having more sex? HA! That’s what I say! HA!
OK, maybe in the beginning when it’s all fresh and new and exciting to be calling your partner your husband or wife, but after a while? Meh. Same old, same old.
Apparently, my line of thinking isn’t too far off.
A new study published in the Journal Archives of Sexual Behavior confirms my suspicions.
Before we get down to what’s going on NOW, let me drop a fact so hot and spicy, even Chipotle would be jealous:
Those born in the 1930s had the MOST sex. BAM! Need some water while you think of Grandma and Grandpa on that sex swing rockin’ and rollin’ using Perry Como as a safe word?
Tenor
It’s OK. It gets better from here. I promise!
The study used data from 1989 to 2014 and found the following:
-
American adults have sex seven to nine fewer times per year than in the 1990s, which averaged 60 to 62 times per year.
-
In the early 2000s, it dropped, and by 2014, it was down to less than 53 times per year
-
In 1990, married adults had sex around 73 times per year which has since fallen to around 55 times per year in 2014 and is now LOWER than people who have never been married (they average 59 times per year)
-
In 1986, 66% lived with a partner and by 2014, that dropped to 59%
What does this all mean? Why are we having less sex?
Though the study didn’t directly list causes for the drop in sex, it did include some possible factors:
1. We are preoccupied.
GifMagazine
Back in the olden days (did I really just say that?), we didn’t have a constant flow of social media news feeds and notifications and NETFLIX! When you come home from a long day, vegging out on the couch and binge-watching a show while scrolling Facebook seems to be way more tempting than grinding in bed, right?
OF COURSE, IT IS!
How To Fix: Good Housekeeping reports that relationship expert Andrea Syrtash says, “Many women say that there’s no time for sex, but admit to checking Facebook an hour before bed.” while Dr. Jane Greer, a sex therapist, says, “In other words, emotionally, you’re somewhere else.” Uhh … yeah! Jon Snow isn’t watching himself!
Powering down all electronics at least an hour before bed is a good way to make time for your honey.
2. We are depressed.
Tumblr
As someone who suffers from depression and takes anti-depressants, I know all too well the side effects that come along with it. Loss of sex drive is a BIG one.
According to the World Health Organization, women are more likely to suffer from depression, but the actual numbers are astounding! More than 300 MILLION people all over the world are depressed. WHOA!
How To Fix It: Well, you can’t fix depression. That’s number one. And you should never go off your medication without consulting your practitioner first. So what do we do if we want to remain on medication but also have a healthy sex life?
3. We are tired.
HuffingtonPost
It’s hard to keep your head above water when bills are piling up and your paycheck is either the same or being dialed down to, oh, I don’t know, INCREASED HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS! Sorry, I had a moment. I’m OK!
But seriously, a lot of marriages now require two incomes just to kind of hit the mark of a middle-class family. And when BOTH partners come home after a long-ass day of talking to people, getting yelled at, and staring at a computer or actual physical labor, sex can be the LAST thing either party wants.
How To Fix It: CNN reports that Amy Levine, sex coach and founder of Ignite Your Pleasure says, “Some people are more aroused during the day than at night. Make your arousal pattern work with your schedule and that of your partner so you can enjoy physical intimacy.”
It may not be easy to have afternoon sex when you are trying to make partner at a firm and need to be there 12 hours a day, but what about morning sex?
“Sex can give you an energetic buzz. … You just have to be willing to push past the feeling of tiredness to experience the pleasure that will ultimately recharge you,” says Levine. “If you shift your schedule so you get enough sleep and re-prioritize your day to the essentials, being tired doesn’t have to be a factor that influences your sex life.”
Source:yourtango.com