Younger Women, Less Sex? Survey Says It’s True

Younger Women, Less Sex? Survey Says It’s True

With so many issues impacting our wellness nowadays, it’s good to know where women—at least in general—are headed. When it comes to sex, though, it seems like we’re not where we would think we’d be at different stages in our lives.

A recently released Everyday Health survey of about 3,000 women ages 25 to 65 explored wellness topics such as stress, fitness and job satisfaction. And it also revealed some interesting tidbits on sex.

Of the respondents, 1,681 were married; 507 were single; 398 were in a relationship; and 414 were separated, widowed or divorced.

Here’s the kicker: 2,087 reported not having satisfying sex weekly, while 913 say they are having good sex on a weekly basis.

Of the 31 percent who reported having good sex, Millennials and Gen X’ers were more likely to have satisfying sex as compared to Baby Boomers.

The survey debunks previous studies that attempted to demystify Millennials and sex. For instance, a study out last year reported that Millennials were having less sex than other generations and have fewer partners than older generations did at the time. Ryne Sherman, Ph.D., an associate professor at the University of California, Riverside, didn’t find the survey findings too surprising.

“Age is a huge predictor of sexual activity,” said Sherman, who was a researcher in the 2016 study that found Millennials were having less sex than other generations, to HelloFlo. “Young people have been having more sex than older people for a long time and this trend has continued. Millennials are simply having less sex than we would expect given their age and the time period in which they live.”
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The survey also reports that of the women having the good sex:

  • 43 percent were self-employed and 32 percent were satisfied in their current job
  • 46 percent were in a relationship and 38 percent were married.
  • 42 percent were satisfied with wellness and 20 percent were not
  • 36 percent were Hispanic, 31 percent were white, 29 percent were Asian, and 28 percent were Black

Here’s another fun finding: 73 percent crave amazing food better than amazing sex. Looks like burgers may win out when compared to (some) bedroom fun.

Dr. Christiane Northrup, an OB/GYN and women’s wellness expert, said she was surprised that so many women would prefer good food over good sex.

“The truth is, when sex is good, one doesn’t feel the need to eat so much. The bottom line on this one is that most women are looking for–and require–more pleasure in all its forms,” she said to HelloFlo. “Food is easier to come by, it would seem. And also within the control of the woman herself.”

In non-sex news, more women said that managing an illness or injury was their top wellness challenge. And 36 percent say stressing about their lives was their top obstacle. Anxiety about loved ones, lack of sleep, fitness, and eating well were also top-ranked health-related challenges.

Images Courtesy of Getty Images.