About 25% of American couples do not have sexual relations even once a month. This is according to a survey conducted by the American research agency Talker Research and LELO, targeting 2,000 adults in couple or romantic relationships.
Respondents cited fatigue (38%) as the biggest reason for not having sexual relations, followed by mismatched libido (29%), health issues (29%), and workplace stress (27%). The average number of sexual relations for American couples was 4 times a month, with an average duration of about 18.6 minutes per encounter.
14% of respondents reported being completely dissatisfied with their sex life, while 71% stated they were satisfied with their current sex life. This shows that many couples value the quality of the relationship or emotional bond even if the frequency of sexual relations is low.
35% of active couples maintain constant contact with their partner all day long
The frequency of sexual relations varied by generation. Generation Z was the most active with an average of 5.3 times a month, followed by the Millennial generation with 5.1 times. 35% of couples with an active sex life maintained constant contact with their partner throughout the day, while only 9% of couples with infrequent relations maintained such communication. This survey result was introduced by the American science culture portal 'Studyfinds'.
So, what is the current state of sexlessness in Korea, the U.S., and Japan? If we define sexlessness as couples, such as spouses or partners, who do not have sexual relations for more than a month without physical defects, the rate is highest in Japan at about 64%, followed by Korea at about 36%, and the U.S. at about 25%.
According to a recent survey by the Japan Family Planning Association (JFPA), 64.2% of married individuals in Japan are in a sexless state. This figure has surged by more than 10 percentage points in just a few years. It indicates a deepening phenomenon of 'de-sexualization' in Japanese society, where sexual interest itself is declining.
Reasons for sexlessness?... Fatigue (38%), mismatched libido (29%), health issues (29%), workplace stress (27%)
There are no recent studies or survey results on the rate of sexlessness in Korea, but based on clinical data and related surveys from the domestic sexual medicine community, the rate of sexlessness among Korean couples is estimated to be about 36%. In the case of Korean couples, living separately due to differences in child-rearing or sleeping habits has been analyzed as a major cause of reduced intimacy.
The global average for sexlessness is known to be about 20%. Experts advise that the phenomenon of sexlessness goes beyond personal preferences and directly affects emotional bonds and life satisfaction between couples, thus requiring social attention.
First, it is urgent to create a family-friendly environment by reducing excessive working hours so that couples can gain the energy to connect emotionally and physically. Additionally, there is a need to improve housing and parenting culture to secure private spaces for couples, moving away from child-centered living patterns and separate rooms. Health centers or family centers should make it easy to receive professional counseling about sexlessness, and relationship-centered sex education emphasizing healthy communication with partners should also be considered.
