Trends in Adult Sexual Frequency Across Demographics
Numerous studies confirm that adults today are having sex less frequently than in past decades. This “sex recession” is apparent in large-scale surveys and affects various demographic groups in different ways:
- Overall Decline: In 1990, about 55% of U.S. adults (18–64) reported having sex at least weekly. By 2024 that share had fallen to just 37%. Likewise, the rate of complete sexual inactivity (no sex in the past year) has risen. For example, among young adults, the proportion reporting zero sexual encounters in the past year roughly doubled from around 12% in 2010 to 24% by 2024 .
- Age Differences: The decline in sexual activity has been most pronounced in younger adults. Generation Z and younger millennials are initiating sex later and having it less often than prior cohorts did at the same age . Between 2000–2002 and 2016–2018, the share of U.S. men ages 18–24 reporting no sex in the past year jumped from 18.9% to 30.9%. A smaller but notable increase was also seen among men 25–34 (from 7% to 14% sexually inactive) and women 25–34 (7% to 12.6%) over that period. By contrast, rates of sexual inactivity for men and women over age 35 have remained more stable. (Naturally, older adults tend to have less sex overall due to age-related factors, but the recent downward trend is largely driven by the young.) Notably, this pattern isn’t unique to the U.S.—research in Germany found that the share of young men (18–30) with no sexual partner in the past year nearly tripled from 2005 to 2016. (In the U.K., however, similar surveys did not show a significant rise in sexual inactivity, indicating some cross-cultural variation.)
- Gender Differences: Men appear to have experienced a sharper rise in sexlessness than women in recent years. By 2018, roughly one-third of men under 25 had gone a year with no sex, compared to about one-fifth of women in that age group. Historically, young men reported more frequent sexual activity (and fewer dry spells) than young women; but that gap has closed or even reversed as male sexual inactivity climbed. Recent data show female sexual frequency has been relatively flat or only slightly down, whereas male sexual frequency has dropped more noticeably. In other words, the trend of declining sex is particularly evident among men, especially younger men. Researchers found that men with socioeconomic challenges – such as lower income or no stable employment – are much more likely to be sexually inactive. For instance, men working part-time or unemployed had roughly double the odds of reporting no sex compared to full-time employed men. This suggests economic and social difficulties have hit young men’s romantic lives especially hard.
- Relationship Status: Being in a committed relationship remains one of the strongest predictors of sexual activity. Singles are far more likely to have no recent sexual partners, and the growing number of unpartnered individuals is a key driver of the overall sex decline. From 2014 to 2024, the share of U.S. adults age 18–29 who were living with a romantic partner (married or cohabiting) fell from 42% to 32%. With fewer young people in steady relationships, fewer are having sex regularly. In fact, an unmarried man aged 18–44 in the late 2010s was about 1.5 times as likely to be sexually inactive as a similar man in the early 2000s (24.4% vs 16.2% reporting no sex in the past year). Meanwhile, those with partners still have more frequent sex on average, but even married couples have seen a downturn. In the late 1990s, about 59% of married 18–64 year-olds had sex at least weekly; in recent years (2010–2024) that dropped to 49%. Other analyses likewise show that the proportion of married Americans reporting weekly sex declined by over 10 percentage points since the 1990s. Researchers note that digital distractions may be encroaching on couples’ intimacy – one study found that married adults who frequently substitute screen time (phones, TV, etc.) for face-to-face couple time report lower sexual frequency. In short, while partnered people still have sex far more often than unpartnered people, both the drop in partnership rates and a dip in within-relationship intimacy are contributing to the overall decline in sexual activity.
(The “sex recession” is a broad trend, but it’s worth noting it may have paused or shifted during unique events like the COVID-19 pandemic. Early in the pandemic, many singles had fewer opportunities for dating, while some cohabiting couples reported changes in sexual frequency (increases for some, decreases for others). As of 2023–2024, however, the long-term pre-pandemic trend of declining sexual activity appears to have resumed or continued.)
Links Between Sexual Activity and Mental Health
Experts have growing interest in whether having less sex is merely a symptom of other issues, or if it is itself contributing to psychological distress. Sexual intimacy is widely regarded as beneficial for emotional well-being, and some research suggests that a lack of sex may be associated with poorer mental health. Key points from recent studies and expert analyses include:
- Sex as a Boost to Well-Being: Healthy sexual relationships can positively influence life satisfaction and happiness. Physical intimacy releases hormones like oxytocin and endorphins that relieve stress and promote bonding. In one study tracking young adults’ daily moods, people reported a more positive mood and a greater sense of meaning in life on days after they had sex. The mood benefits were especially strong when the sexual encounter included emotional intimacy (e.g. a trusted partner rather than a casual or impersonal experience). Other research found that on days people had sex, they were happier and more engaged at work the next day – suggesting a spillover of sex’s stress-reducing effects into daily functioning. Sexual activity is known to alleviate tension; for example, among couples, having sex on a high-stress day is linked to significantly lower stress levels the following day compared to equally stressful days with no sex. Given these findings, psychologists note that sex can act as a natural mood enhancer and stress reliever in the short term.
- Frequency Linked to Depression and Anxiety: There is evidence of a correlation between infrequent sex and higher rates of depression or anxiety, though the direction of cause and effect is debated. A large 2025 study in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that people who had sex at least once a week were substantially less likely to report symptoms of depression . In fact, those engaging in sexual activity roughly once per week had about a 24% lower odds of depression compared to those having sex less than once a month . The researchers identified an “optimal” sexual frequency of about 52–103 times per year (i.e. around 1–2 times per week) associated with the greatest mental health benefit . Having sex more often than that didn’t show additional gains in mental health, but falling below that range was associated with increased depression risk . Similarly, a study of adults during the COVID-19 lockdowns reported that those who remained sexually active had significantly fewer anxiety and depression symptoms, while people who had no sexual activity during lockdown were at higher risk of psychological distress. Regular sexual intimacy may thus serve as a protective factor for mental health, potentially buffering against loneliness and mood disorders . Some therapists even observe that going long periods without any form of loving sexual contact can exacerbate stress, irritability, and sadness in individuals – one expert noted that abstaining from sex for a month or more can coincide with heightened anxiety, depression, and anger in some people .
- Associations with Happiness and Loneliness: On a broader level, lack of sexual connection often overlaps with feelings of loneliness and lower life satisfaction. A 2025 study in PNAS that analyzed over 400,000 individuals found that people who had never had sex (long-term sexlessness) were much more likely to report being lonely and unhappy compared to those with sexual experience. The sexless individuals in this study tended to have other challenges as well – they were more often nervous or anxious by temperament, for example. Importantly, this correlation does not prove that not having sex causes unhappiness (other factors could predispose someone to both celibacy and low mood). But it does underscore that many people who are involuntarily sexless also experience social isolation or emotional distress. In relationships, a drop in sexual frequency can sometimes be both a sign and a cause of relationship strain. Research consistently finds that sexual satisfaction is linked with relationship satisfaction – couples with an active, fulfilling sex life tend to report stronger emotional bonds and higher overall happiness with their marriage/partnership. Conversely, when a couple’s sex life deteriorates (e.g. due to conflict, health issues, or stress), it can both reflect and contribute to diminished relationship quality. One analysis of national data concluded that regular sex is associated with better health, happier marriages, and greater personal happiness in general. These positive effects plateau at moderate frequency (around once a week, as noted), but falling to very infrequent or no sex can be a marker of other well-being challenges.
- Caution: Correlation Is Not Causation: While the links between an active sex life and good mental health are well documented, experts caution that these relationships are complex. Part of the connection may be reciprocal: depression or anxiety can reduce one’s desire or opportunities for sex, while lack of intimacy can in turn worsen loneliness or sadness. Moreover, individual differences matter – some people have a low sex drive or identify as asexual, and for them not having sex might not feel like a “deprivation” at all. In fact, one U.S. survey found sexually inactive adults reported similar happiness levels as sexually active adults on average, suggesting that simply counting frequency isn’t everything – the desire for sex and the quality of one’s relationships may be more important factors. In Britain’s national sexual attitudes survey, fewer than half of people who hadn’t had sex recently said they felt dissatisfied with their sex lives. (In other words, many of the sexually inactive were okay with it – whether due to low interest, focus on other aspects of life, or lacking a partner but not prioritizing sex at that stage.) These nuances imply that reduced sexual activity can have different implications for mental health depending on whether it’s perceived as a problem by the individual. Nonetheless, for large portions of the population – especially young adults who do crave connection – the coincident rise in sexlessness and in reported loneliness/depression is prompting concern among researchers that the two phenomena may be related . As one analyst put it, Generation Z is experiencing a mental health crisis at the same time they are having less sex, meaning “a rise in sexlessness has coincided with a decline in mental health” for this cohort . The causal arrows are still being studied, but the overlap is hard to ignore.
Societal Factors Behind the Decline in Sexual Activity
Why are people having less sex? Sociologists and psychologists point to a confluence of societal changes in modern life that are reshaping dating, relationships, and intimacy. Rather than a single cause, researchers describe a “perfect storm” of cultural and technological shifts that have collectively dampened the frequency of sexual encounters. Key factors include:
- Later Marriage and Less Partnering: Perhaps the most significant change is that adults, on average, are marrying later or forgoing marriage entirely, and fewer are in steady relationships during their 20s than in decades past. This means a growing share of young adults do not have a readily available sexual partner. As noted, the proportion of 18–29 year-olds with a live-in partner (spouse or cohabitor) plunged by 10 percentage points in the last decade. People are spending more years single, and many of those singles are sexually inactive for long stretches. Demographers note that this delay in partnering is driven by several trends – pursuing higher education and careers (leaving less time for relationships in one’s early 20s), economic challenges (e.g. insecure jobs, housing costs, living with parents longer), and changing social norms that no longer pressure people to “settle down” at a young age. The rise of singlehood has a clear mathematical effect on population-wide sexual frequency: singles have far less sex on average than couples, so as the single population grows, overall sexual activity drops. One analysis concluded that the decline in steady partnering (especially marriage) is the single biggest driver of the sex recession, outweighing other factors . In short, fewer couples = fewer sexual encounters across society.
- Digital Distraction and Social Isolation: The explosion of technology and digital media in the past 15 years has fundamentally altered how people socialize – with some unintended side effects for romance. Young people today spend much more time online (on smartphones, social media, streaming, gaming, etc.) and much less time hanging out in person than previous generations did. Sociologist Jonathan Haidt dubbed the early 2010s the “Great Rewiring,” when smartphones became ubiquitous and teen social life moved sharply online . Between 2010 and 2019 (even before the pandemic), the average time young adults spent face-to-face with friends was cut nearly in half (from about 12 hours a week to ~6.5 hours). By 2024, young adults were averaging only ~5 hours weekly socializing with friends in real life – a far cry from past decades. This retreat from in-person interaction has reduced opportunities for meeting new partners and developing intimate relationships. It has also left many young people less practiced in social and flirting skills that facilitate sexual/romantic connections. Simply put, it’s harder to spark a romance when everyone is at home on their devices. At the same time, online entertainment and communication can act as a substitute (albeit an inferior one) for physical intimacy – hours of scrolling, texting, streaming Netflix, or playing video games may satisfy some social urges in the moment, but they can crowd out time that might have been spent dating or being with a partner. Researchers have observed that rising screen time correlates with both fewer sexual encounters and poorer mental health (more anxiety, loneliness), suggesting a common thread of social isolation. Notably, one study found young men’s increased use of video games and the internet is linked to declines in dating and even labor force participation, which in turn reduces their appeal in the mating market. In married or cohabiting couples, digital distraction also plays a role – spouses who spend their evenings engrossed in social media or digital devices report less sexual intimacy, as screens encroach on time once used for couple bonding. The net effect of our digital lifestyle is that people are interacting physically less often, and this societal shift is a major underlying factor in reduced sexual activity.
- Dating Apps: Paradoxical Effects: One might think that dating apps (Tinder, Bumble, etc.) would counteract the sex recession by making it easier than ever to find partners. These apps have indeed expanded the dating pool and led to some new connections – but their net impact can be paradoxical. Research suggests dating apps tend to produce a “winner-take-all” dynamic where a small portion of attractive individuals get disproportionate attention, while many users (especially young men) get few matches and end up discouraged. In incel (involuntarily celibate) forums, there is a belief that “20% of men have 80% of the sex” in the app era; data doesn’t literally support an 80/20 split, but it does show that the top 20% most active men account for about 50–60% of sexual encounters among singles. This means a sizable share of men on apps may remain sexless despite seeking partners. Moreover, app fatigue is real – some people spend hours swiping without success, leading to burnout and opting out of dating for stretches. Others do meet people, but the casual “hookup” culture of apps can, counterintuitively, reduce longer-term relationship formation (e.g. endless options can undermine commitment). So while dating apps facilitate many introductions, they have not reversed the overall decline in partnered sex; if anything, they’ve restructured the dating landscape in ways that sometimes leave people frustrated or isolated (e.g. ghosting, superficial interactions, the commodification of dating). The net effect can be seen as quality over quantity – some individuals have a lot of app-enabled encounters, but a larger proportion end up having fewer stable sexual relationships, contributing to the broader trend.
- Pornography and Solo Sexuality: The past two decades have also seen an unprecedented rise in online pornography use and acceptance of masturbation as alternatives to partnered sex. High-speed internet made erotic content instantly accessible, and younger generations grew up with porn as a default form of sex education (for better or worse). On one hand, porn and masturbation provide a sexual outlet that does not require a partner, which may reduce some people’s sense of urgency to seek out real-life sex when it’s not readily available. There is ongoing debate about whether heavy porn consumption actually dampens one’s interest or ability to engage in real sex – some experts suspect that habitual porn use can lead to unrealistic expectations (e.g. about bodies or sexual acts) and even sexual dysfunction (like arousal difficulties with a real partner), especially among young men. Indeed, many young adults report that porn gave them distorted ideas of what sex should be, sometimes normalizing rough or performative acts that don’t align with their comfort, which can cause bedroom awkwardness. For example, surveys show choking during sex became markedly more common and expected among Gen Z – a trend attributed to porn’s influence – leaving some individuals (especially women) shocked or put off by partners imitating porn scripts. Such mismatched expectations could discourage people from pursuing sex or make early sexual experiences negative, thus reducing their desire for future encounters. On the other hand, not all data frames porn as the enemy of sexual activity: interestingly, one U.S. survey found that adults who never viewed porn were more likely to be sexually inactive than those who did view porn. This suggests porn use tends to accompany a higher libido, and those individuals might actually have more partnered sex on average (or at least a desire for it). Still, the ease of fulfilling sexual urges solo (via masturbation to porn) could make being abstinent from real-life sex more tolerable for some, essentially decoupling sexual release from relationships. Furthermore, the proliferation of porn, cam sites, and even “AI girlfriends” or erotic media may contribute to a societal attitude that sex is available virtually on-demand, reducing the drive to put in effort for a real partner. In summary, pornography’s role is complex – it likely isn’t the sole cause of the sex recession, but it’s part of the modern sexual landscape that emphasizes instant personal gratification, sometimes at the expense of partnered intimacy.
- Changing Social Norms and Attitudes: Beyond technology, there have been cultural shifts in how young people approach sex and dating. Many experts observe that Gen Z is a highly conscientious and anxious generation, raised with a strong emphasis on personal safety, consent, and emotional health. Some older adults interpret Gen Z’s lower sexual activity as prudishness, but surveys of Gen Zers indicate they do desire sex – they’re just “swimming in a miasma of anxiety” and caution that holds them back. Several forces contribute to this mindset:
- Emphasis on Consent and #MeToo: The 2010s brought heightened awareness of sexual consent and misconduct. This has been very important for safety, but it may also make dating feel like a minefield to some. Young men might fear crossing boundaries or being accused of wrongdoing, while young women are more empowered to say no to anything that makes them uncomfortable. Overall this is a positive development, yet it could have the side effect of fewer casual or ambiguous sexual situations – some men report hesitancy or confusion about how to initiate, and some women report higher standards for when and with whom they’ll have sex. The result might be fewer but more deliberate sexual encounters.
- “Therapeutic” Mindset: There’s a growing cultural script around avoiding “toxic” relationships and guarding one’s mental health. Young adults often use terms from therapy (e.g. setting boundaries, avoiding “situationships” that don’t fulfill them). This can mean turning down sex that is purely casual or that might lead to emotional harm. In essence, some are practicing a form of sexual caution – they’d rather have no sex than a bad or meaningless sexual experience. While this reflects higher standards, it also means opportunities for sex are more often passed up unless conditions feel ideal.
- Fear of Consequences: Rates of teen pregnancy in the U.S. have plummeted to record lows in the last 20 years, partly because of better contraception but also because fewer teens are having intercourse to begin with . Gen Z came of age in a time of ubiquitous sex education messaging about STIs, HIV, and pregnancy prevention, as well as, more recently, the overturning of Roe v. Wade which made abortion access more restricted in many areas. It’s plausible that the prospect of unplanned pregnancy or disease looms larger, causing some to avoid sex or at least delay it. (As one young person quipped, “No sex = no baby, no STI – problem solved.”) Older generations had their own fears (Gen X faced the AIDS crisis, for example), but the continuous public health messaging plus the loss of abortion rights in some states may be instilling extra caution in today’s youth.
- Alternative Outlets & Identity: Young people today are also more likely to identify in non-traditional ways regarding sexuality – for instance, openly asexual or demisexual (needing strong emotional connection for attraction). There is less stigma now in admitting “I’m not that interested in sex” or “I’m focusing on myself right now.” This acceptance can be double-edged: it’s wonderful for those who truly feel that way, but it might also provide a comfortable label for people who are interested but too anxious to pursue sex. Additionally, entertainment and hobbies play a big role in youth culture (the rise of fandoms, gaming communities, etc.), which sometimes take precedence over dating. In short, the social script that “everyone should be pairing off and having lots of sex in their youth” has weakened – it’s more acceptable to be single and sexually inactive in one’s teens and twenties without being seen as abnormal. This cultural permission to opt out may partly drive the observed behavior.
- Stress and Work-Life Balance: Modern life stresses – including academic pressures, work demands, and economic instability – can dampen libido and relationship energy for many people. Surveys find many adults (especially those with demanding jobs or multiple gigs) report feeling “too tired” or “too busy” for sex. Unlike past generations, many couples today juggle dual careers or long commutes, which can leave less intimate time. There’s also evidence linking economic woes to sexual downturns. For example, the JAMA study found that men with lower income or no job had significantly higher odds of being sexually inactive, likely reflecting how unemployment or financial stress can disrupt one’s dating life and self-confidence. Large-scale issues like the 2008 recession and the COVID-19 pandemic also had chilling effects on dating and marriage rates, which in turn affect sexual frequency. Some researchers argue that the fast-paced, high-stress lifestyle of the 21st century is simply not very conducive to a vibrant sex life – when people are anxious, burnt out, or depressed (which many are, according to rising mental health statistics), libido often declines. Ironically, some of the activities people use to “unwind” – like binge-watching shows or scrolling social media late into the night – end up cutting into potential sexual time (for instance, couples getting into bed with phones in hand rather than engaging with each other). Thus, the broader climate of chronic stress, fatigue, and digital distraction is likely chipping away at sexual frequency on a population level.
In summary, the decline in sexual activity appears to be multifactorial, rooted in profound changes in how we live and relate to each other. As one report succinctly put it: “Young adults are spending less time dating, mating, and getting married, with obvious implications for sex.” Our society has grown more digitally connected but physically disconnected, more cautious and individualized, and shaped by economic and technological forces that were unknown a generation ago. All of these shifts contribute to adults – especially young adults – having sex less often than before.
Counterarguments and Other Explanations
While many observers worry that less sex is causing or exacerbating mental health and social problems, it’s important to approach this topic with nuance. Not all evidence pins societal ills on sexual frequency, and several alternative or additional explanations deserve consideration:
- Correlation vs. Causation: A key caution is that we shouldn’t automatically assume declining sex causes declining mental health. It might be the other way around, or both could stem from a common cause. For instance, rising rates of depression and anxiety (especially among youth) could be leading to lower sexual activity, rather than resulting from it. People who are depressed often experience low libido and withdraw from social interaction, which could explain why depression and sexlessness are linked. In such cases, the real culprit for both trends might be something like increased social isolation or excessive screen time, which simultaneously makes people lonelier (harming mental health) and keeps them home and single (reducing sex). Indeed, the timeline of changes suggests that around the early 2010s, as smartphones and social media use surged, teen loneliness, anxiety, and depression began to rise sharply – and face-to-face socializing and dating began to fall . This points to digital lifestyle changes as a root cause that could be driving both the mental health crisis and the sex recession in parallel. In short, less sex might be a symptom of broader social changes (like isolation and mental health struggles) rather than the primary cause.
- Contented Celibacy vs. Distressed Sexlessness: It’s also crucial to recognize that not everyone wants or needs frequent sex to be happy. Some subset of the population is voluntarily celibate or less interested in sex, and for them this trend isn’t problematic. As mentioned, surveys show many sexually inactive individuals report being just as content with life as their sexually active peers. Some are asexual or aromantic, genuinely feeling little desire for sexual relationships – increased visibility and acceptance of asexuality might even encourage people to embrace that identity rather than forcing themselves into unwanted sexual situations. Others may be temporarily abstinent by choice (focusing on career, recovering from a breakup, etc.) and not experiencing any mental distress from it. For these people, a decline in sexual activity might reflect empowered personal choice or shifting priorities, not a crisis. Therefore, when we talk about negative impacts like loneliness or depression, we’re mostly concerned with those who do crave connection but aren’t getting it – not those who are perfectly fine without sex. The data on dissatisfaction bears this out: less than half of people who hadn’t had sex in the past year said they were unhappy with that fact. In other words, a significant number of sexually inactive folks are not reporting relationship or psychological issues as a result. This suggests we shouldn’t overgeneralize the “sex decline = misery” narrative; its relevance likely depends on whether the lack of sex is perceived as a problem by individuals.
- Positive Trends Amid the “Sex Recession”: Some argue that certain social changes associated with less casual sex are actually positive or protective. The clearest example is public health: as noted, reductions in teen and young adult sexual activity have contributed to record-low rates of teen pregnancy and a drop in sexually transmitted infections among youth. From a health standpoint, fewer people engaging in high-risk sexual behavior has tangible benefits – less unplanned parenthood and fewer STD cases is a public good. Additionally, the fact that young women (in particular) feel more empowered to refuse sex they don’t want (partly due to better sex education and the #MeToo movement) is a sign of improved agency and consent, even if it means lower overall sexual frequency. Some commentators thus caution against painting the sex decline in wholly dire terms: it may indicate that younger generations are making more careful, conscious choices about intimacy (e.g. prioritizing emotional safety, or simply not “hooking up” due to peer pressure). If so, the outcome could be fewer unhealthy or exploitative sexual encounters, which is arguably a social improvement. In short, quality may be rising even as quantity falls – a perspective that challenges the notion that less sex is inherently a social or psychological problem.
- Other Drivers of Mental Health Issues: Even if we accept that today’s young adults are struggling more with loneliness, anxiety, and depression, experts emphasize that many factors unrelated to sex are contributing to this. The past decade has seen economic turbulence (two recessions within 15 years), a once-in-a-century pandemic, political polarization, climate anxiety, and other stressors that weigh on younger generations’ minds. Social media has particularly been linked to declines in youth mental health – constant online comparison, cyberbullying, information overload, and lack of real community can breed unhappiness. These factors could independently explain rising depression and loneliness without needing to invoke sexual frequency at all. For example, a person could be depressed because of academic pressure, family issues, or online bullying – and as a result withdraw socially and not date, thus becoming part of the sex recession statistics. The fundamental cause there is depression (from those other pressures), not the lack of sex. Loneliness itself is a complex phenomenon: one can feel profoundly lonely even if they are sexually active (if their relationships lack depth), and conversely one can feel content while celibate if they have strong platonic friendships and community. So, while a lack of sexual/romantic connection can certainly contribute to loneliness for many, it’s not the sole determinant – friendship, family support, and community engagement also play big roles. We should be careful not to pin all social malaise on sexual dry spells, when things like lack of social support, economic hardship, and digital overstimulation are clearly at play in the mental health landscape.
- Historical and Cross-Cultural Context: It’s worth noting that the amount of sex people have (and the significance placed on it) has varied across eras and cultures without always spelling disaster. For example, some research points out that the mid-20th-century “norm” of early marriage and relatively frequent marital sex was itself a historical anomaly. If we look at cultures with arranged marriages or more constrained dating, or historical periods with strict social mores, those societies did not crumble psychologically simply because premarital sex was low. They often had other forms of social cohesion. This isn’t to suggest we return to Victorian values, but to highlight that human well-being doesn’t hinge on everyone having a lot of sex all the time – it hinges on having meaningful connections, which can come from family, friendship, purpose, etc., in addition to or instead of sexual bonds. Some commentators argue that today’s youth might be forging different pathways to fulfillment (through creativity, online communities, career, etc.) that don’t center on sexual relationships as much as previous generations did. If that’s the case, then lower sexual frequency might be an adaptive response to modern life rather than a pathology.
- The Incels’ Narrative vs Reality: A contemporary social concern related to sex decline is the rise of “incel” subculture – young men who feel angry about not having sex, sometimes blaming women or society for their celibacy. Incels often claim that modern dating is broken (they say that a minority of “alpha” men monopolize all the partners, leaving average men with nothing). While it’s true that male sexlessness has increased, the incel explanation is not well-supported by data. Studies show that women are not in fact becoming more promiscuous or exclusively chasing a few “Chads” – female sexual inactivity has been stable or rising slightly, and the distribution of sexual partners is not as skewed as the 80/20 myth suggests (the top 20% of sexually active men have about 50-60% of the sex, not 100%). The primary reason more young men are sexless is fewer are in steady relationships due to later marriage, not because women as a whole are ultra-promiscuous or rejecting all but a tiny pool of males. In fact, plenty of young women are also sexless and lonely. The incel narrative also ignores that many men choose to delay or avoid commitment for other goals (there are rising numbers of men content with single life, gaming, porn, etc., even if they might ideally like a girlfriend). We mention this to illustrate an alternative explanation that gets floated in pop culture – the “dating market” being rigged – but empirical evidence points to broader social shifts (education, economics, tech) as more impactful than any purported female hypergamy. Understanding this helps refocus the conversation on constructive solutions (like addressing social isolation or economic barriers to family formation) rather than inaccurate blame games.
In conclusion, the decline in sexual activity among adults is a real and well-documented trend, and it does intersect with important issues like mental health and social well-being. Many experts are concerned that fewer intimate connections could be both a sign of and contributor to problems such as loneliness, anxiety, and lower relationship satisfaction. There is evidence that regular sexual intimacy – especially in the context of a loving relationship – can bolster emotional health, reduce stress, and enhance happiness for many people. As such, the “sex recession” might indeed be one piece of the puzzle in understanding today’s mental health trends. However, it’s not the whole story. The modern environment has introduced multiple challenges to human connection (from digital isolation to economic strains), and these factors are deeply intertwined with why sexual habits are changing. Reduced sexual frequency can be both an outcome of those broader changes and potentially a feedback factor that exacerbates feelings of isolation in some cases.
Crucially, we should remember that not all decreases in sexual activity are inherently problematic – context matters. If people are consciously choosing to delay sex, or have less sex but with more meaning, that could have upsides like safer sex and fewer regrets. The real concern lies in the growing number of people who yearn for connection but struggle to attain it. For them, the decline in sex might signal unfulfilled social needs and warrant societal attention (e.g. how can we help people form healthier relationships in the digital age?). Any solutions, though, will likely need to address the underlying causes – such as loneliness, screen overuse, and lack of community – rather than sex per se. In summary, a sex downturn is part of the complex tapestry of modern social change. It is both a barometer of shifting norms and a potential influence on well-being, deserving of continued research and nuanced understanding rather than alarmist conclusions. The challenge for society moving forward will be finding ways to foster meaningful interpersonal connection (physical and emotional) in an era when it doesn’t come as naturally as it once did.
Sources:
- Ueda et al., JAMA Network Open (2020) – “Trends in Frequency of Sexual Activity and Number of Sexual Partners (2000–2018)”
- Institute for Family Studies analysis of General Social Survey data (1990–2024)
- Lehmiller, J. (2022), Psychology Today – “Generation Z Is Missing Out on the Benefits of Sex”
- Bailey & Wilcox, IFS (2025) – “The Share of Americans Having Regular Sex Keeps Dropping”
- Abdellaoui et al., PNAS (2025) – “Life without sex: Large-scale study links sexlessness to…well-being”
- Gawley, P., VICE (2025) – “How Often Do You Need to Have Sex to Not Be Depressed?” (study on optimal sexual frequency)
- Sherman, C., interview in Wired (2025) – “How Social Media Is Fueling Gen Z’s Sex Recession”
- Stone, L., IFS (2018) – “Male Sexlessness is Rising But Not for the Reasons Incels Claim”
- Twenge, J. (2017) in Arch. Sexual Behavior – findings on cohort declines in sexual frequency (cited via IFS)
- Additional data from CDC and GSS summarized in news sources , and references within the above texts.