Sex recession explains why we’re having far less sex than our parents

Here are some figures worth pausing to reflect on. In 1990, 55 percent of Americans had sex every week. By 2024, that figure had dropped to just 37 percent. Among people in their twenties, the share who went an entire year without sex had nearly doubled, from 15 to 24 percent. That’s not a temporary dip. It’s a trend with a name: the sex recession.

Where does that term come from

It’s not a new term, but it’s been popping up everywhere again lately. It refers to a long-term decline in the frequency of sexual activity, particularly among younger generations. Researchers consistently point towards the same period: 2010 to 2015, which is exactly when the smartphone suddenly became everybody’s best friend. Coincidence? Probably not.

Why you have less sex than your parents did at your age

Dating starts later. Fewer young adults are in committed relationships at a younger age. There’s more scrolling and less touching. Interaction happens through apps instead of in bars, creating distance that simply didn’t exist in the past. Money is also a factor: living together has become more expensive, so young people tend to stay with their parents longer. Less privacy means less spontaneity.

But here’s the twist. Less sex doesn’t automatically mean less fun. Many people who have sex less frequently report that they are satisfied with what they have. Apparently, quality beats quantity.

The dating app paradox

It’s striking that there have never been so many dating apps, nor have so many people used them. Yet, all that swiping rarely leads to something concrete. Researchers call this the dating app paradox: the more options you have, the more critical and passive you become. You keep scrolling in search of that slightly better match, instead of committing to the person that’s right in front of you. The result is a generation that, in theory, has access to thousands of potential partners, but in practice has less meaningful contact than the generation that simply met at a bar.

And what about relationships

Also couples who’ve been together for years feel it. Busy schedules, work, screens: sex becomes something you have to “schedule” rather than something that happens naturally. And the moment something starts feeling like a chore, it loses that sense of spontaneity that made it so exciting.

What can you do yourself

Does your phone spend more time with you in bed than your partner does? Change that one habit first. Plan a no-screens evening. Make intimacy something to look forward to again, rather than one of your chores.

Statistics are just statistics. What goes on in your bedroom is still up to you. Put your phone away, pay attention to each other, and watch what happens.