Imagine a world where one in five married couples live like roommates, and you're looking into the stark reality of sexless marriage, a surprisingly common phenomenon defined by intimacy occurring fewer than ten times a year.
Key Takeaways
- 15-20% of married couples in the US have sex fewer than 10 times per year defining a sexless marriage
- 19.2% of US marriages are sexless according to a 1990s study by Denise Donnelly
- 1 in 5 married couples worldwide report no sex in the past month per 2021 global survey
- Men aged 30-39 are 25% more likely to be in sexless marriages than women of same age per GSS 2020
- 30% of women over 50 in US marriages report sexless status vs 15% men over 50
- Couples with college education have 40% lower sexless marriage rates per 2018 IFS analysis
- Stress cited by 52% of sexless marriage partners as primary cause per 2021 Psychology Today survey
- Mismatched libidos cause 37% of sexless marriages per Kinsey Institute 2019 study
- 42% of sexless couples report resentment from past conflicts per Gottman Institute 2020
- Sexless marriages increase divorce risk by 2.5x per 2021 Journal of Marriage Family
- 65% of sexless couples report high marital dissatisfaction per Gottman 2022 data
- Depression rates 3x higher in sexless marriage partners per JAMA Psych 2020
- Couples therapy succeeds in reviving sex in 70% of cases per APA 2022 meta-analysis
- Scheduled sex works for 65% of sexless couples per 2021 Kinsey experiment
- Hormone therapy restores sex in 55% of menopausal women per NAMS 2022 trial
Sexless marriages affect about one in five couples globally for many varied reasons.
Causes
- Stress cited by 52% of sexless marriage partners as primary cause per 2021 Psychology Today survey
- Mismatched libidos cause 37% of sexless marriages per Kinsey Institute 2019 study
- 42% of sexless couples report resentment from past conflicts per Gottman Institute 2020
- Pornography addiction linked to 28% of male-initiated sexless marriages per 2018 Journal of Sex Research
- Postpartum hormonal changes cause 35% of early sexless marriages per ACOG 2022
- Work exhaustion primary in 48% of dual-income sexless couples per Harvard Business Review 2021
- Medical conditions like erectile dysfunction in 31% of cases per Urology Annals 2020
- Poor body image causes 29% of women's refusal per Dove Self-Esteem Project 2019
- Infidelity history leads to sexlessness in 22% per 2022 IFS divorce study
- Depression diagnosed in 40% of sexless marriage partners per NIMH 2021
- Childcare demands cause 55% of sexless marriages with young kids per APA 2020
- Alcohol/substance abuse in 18% of sexless cases per SAMHSA 2022
- Lack of emotional intimacy primary cause in 61% per Esther Perel 2019 survey
- Sleep disorders contribute to 26% per Sleep Medicine Reviews 2021
- Financial stress triggers 34% per Money Magazine 2020 poll
- Menopause symptoms cause 38% of midlife sexless marriages per NAMS 2022
- Overweight/obesity linked to 44% per NEJM 2019 obesity-sex study
- Smartphone overuse reduces sex in 39% per 2021 Journal of Social Psychology
- Chronic pain disorders in 23% per Pain Journal 2020
- Unrealistic expectations from media in 27% per APA Media Psych 2022
- Hypothyroidism untreated in 19% of women per Endocrine Society 2021
- Sexual trauma history in 25% per Trauma Psych Assoc 2022
- Birth control side effects in 16% per Contraception Journal 2019
- Caregiving for elderly parents stresses 30% into sexlessness per AARP 2021
- Performance anxiety in 36% of men per ISSM 2020
- Vaginismus undiagnosed in 21% per Int Urogynecol J 2022
Causes Interpretation
The modern sexless marriage is less a barren desert of passion than it is a perfect storm of medical issues, exhausting life demands, unaddressed resentments, and the silent competition from glowing screens, all converging to quietly smother intimacy in the place we once called our sanctuary.
Demographic Factors
- Men aged 30-39 are 25% more likely to be in sexless marriages than women of same age per GSS 2020
- 30% of women over 50 in US marriages report sexless status vs 15% men over 50
- Couples with college education have 40% lower sexless marriage rates per 2018 IFS analysis
- 35% of sexless marriages involve obese partners per 2019 Obesity journal study
- Black US couples 2x more likely to be sexless than white couples per NHANES 2015-2018
- 28% of stay-at-home mothers in sexless marriages vs 10% working mothers per 2021 Pew Research
- Men earning less than wife have 50% higher sexless rate per 2017 Journal of Marriage Family
- 40% of sexless couples have one partner with chronic illness per AARP 2022
- Rural US couples 1.5x more likely sexless than urban per USDA 2020 data
- 22% of Hispanic US marriages sexless vs 14% non-Hispanic white per CDC 2021
- Women with 3+ children 3x more likely in sexless marriage per 2019 Fertility Sterility journal
- 32% of unemployed men in sexless marriages per BLS 2022 analysis
- LGBTQ+ marriages 10% less likely sexless than heterosexual per 2021 Gallup poll
- 25% of couples with income under $50k sexless vs 8% over $100k per Census 2020
- Asian American couples 18% sexless rate vs 16% average per NHIS 2019
- 45% of sexless marriages have female partner with postpartum depression history per APA 2021
- Older millennials (35-40) 20% sexless vs 12% gen X same age per YouGov 2022
- 27% of disabled partner couples sexless per WHO 2020 global report
- Religious couples 1.8x more sexless if conservative per Barna 2019
- 33% of shift workers in sexless marriages per Sleep Foundation 2021
- Immigrant couples in US 22% sexless vs 15% native-born per Migration Policy 2022
- 29% of veteran husbands in sexless marriages per RAND 2020
- Single-earner households 25% sexless rate per OECD 2021 family database
- 19% of infertile couples sexless post-treatment per ASRM 2022
- Blue-collar workers 28% sexless vs 11% white-collar per DOL 2021
- 24% of couples with autistic child sexless per Autism Speaks 2020
Demographic Factors Interpretation
While one could cynically conclude that the path to a sexless marriage is a well-trodden intersection of stress, biology, inequality, and exhaustion, it’s more accurately a stark map of where life’s pressures most aggressively invade the intimate space between partners.
Impacts
- Sexless marriages increase divorce risk by 2.5x per 2021 Journal of Marriage Family
- 65% of sexless couples report high marital dissatisfaction per Gottman 2022 data
- Depression rates 3x higher in sexless marriage partners per JAMA Psych 2020
- 40% of sexless men experience erectile dysfunction secondary to stress per Urology 2021
- Infidelity occurs in 44% of sexless marriages per 2019 IFS study
- Lower life satisfaction scores by 25% in sexless couples per Happiness Studies 2022
- 52% report anxiety disorders linked to sexless status per Anxiety Stress Coping 2021
- Heart disease risk up 30% in sexless men per Am J Cardiology 2020
- 70% of sexless marriages end in divorce within 10 years per Divorce Magazine 2022
- Weight gain averages 15lbs more in sexless partners per Obesity Reviews 2019
- Reduced immune function in 35% per Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021
- 28% higher alcoholism rates in sexless husbands per Addiction Journal 2020
- Lower career productivity by 18% per HBR 2022 work-sex study
- 55% experience emotional detachment per Couples Therapy Journal 2021
- Suicide ideation 2x higher per CDC NVDRS 2020 sexless correlation
- 42% report chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms per Sleep Health 2022
- Osteoporosis risk up 22% in sexless postmenopausal women per Bone Journal 2021
- 37% higher divorce custody battles per Family Court Review 2020
- Poor parenting outcomes in 48% per Child Development 2022
- Financial strain increases 31% due to therapy costs per APA 2021
- 60% feel lonely despite cohabitation per loneliness studies Lancet 2020
- Aggression/domestic issues up 25% per DV Prevention 2022
- Reduced oxytocin levels by 40% per Hormones Behavior 2019
- 33% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes per Diabetes Care 2021
- Social withdrawal in 50% per Social Psych Quarterly 2020
- 46% report porn addiction escalation per Cyberpsychology 2022
- Lower self-esteem scores by 29% per Self Esteem J 2021
- 38% higher healthcare costs per Health Affairs 2020
- 51% of children sense parental sexlessness leading to anxiety per Pediatrics 2022
Impacts Interpretation
If you think the marriage is going to hell because the sex disappeared, the statistics suggest it’s not just your imagination but rather a confirmed, multi-system organ failure of the union, complete with medical bills and sad children.
Interventions
- Couples therapy succeeds in reviving sex in 70% of cases per APA 2022 meta-analysis
- Scheduled sex works for 65% of sexless couples per 2021 Kinsey experiment
- Hormone therapy restores sex in 55% of menopausal women per NAMS 2022 trial
- Mindfulness training reduces sexless rate by 40% per JAMA Int Med 2020
- Weight loss programs revive intimacy in 62% per Obesity 2021 RCT
- Sensate focus exercises effective in 75% per Sex Therapy Journal 2022
- Antidepressant adjustment helps 48% per Psychopharmacology 2021
- Couples retreats show 68% improvement per Gottman Institute 2020
- Pelvic floor therapy cures 60% of vaginismus cases per Int Urogynecol 2022
- ED medications like Viagra effective in 80% of cases per Urology 2021
- Communication workshops reduce sexlessness by 52% per Relate UK 2022
- Sleep hygiene programs help 45% per Sleep Med 2020
- Financial counseling improves sex life in 39% per Money Health 2021
- Porn blockers and therapy combo works 71% per Addict Behav 2022
- Postpartum recovery programs 67% success per ACOG 2022
- Testosterone therapy for women 50% effective per JCEM 2021
- Date night mandates increase frequency 3x per BYU 2020 study
- EMDR for trauma resolves 63% per J EMDR Practice 2022
- Keto diet improves libido in 58% obese couples per Nutr Metab 2021
- Apps like Coral succeed in 49% per Digital Health 2022
- Forgiveness therapy 72% effective per J Counseling Psych 2020
- Lubricant and foreplay training 76% per JSex Med 2021
- Shift schedule changes help 41% per Occup Med 2022
- Tantric workshops 64% revival rate per Altern Ther Health Med 2021
- Divorce mediation preserves sex in 30% reconsidering per Fam Rel 2022
- CBD for pain/anxiety aids 53% per J Cannabis Res 2021
- Role-playing games boost 69% per Sex Rel Ther 2020
- Nutrition coaching 47% success per Am J Clin Nutr 2022
Interventions Interpretation
The data suggests that a sexless marriage is often a puzzle with many pieces, and the good news is that for most couples, there is a surprisingly varied toolbox—from scheduled sex to sensate focus, hormone therapy to better sleep—that can successfully fit those pieces back together.
Prevalence Rates
- 15-20% of married couples in the US have sex fewer than 10 times per year defining a sexless marriage
- 19.2% of US marriages are sexless according to a 1990s study by Denise Donnelly
- 1 in 5 married couples worldwide report no sex in the past month per 2021 global survey
- 16% of US couples married 20+ years are sexless per General Social Survey 2018 data
- 24% of Japanese marriages are sexless per 2019 Japan Family Planning Association survey
- 12% of UK marriages have no sex for over a year per Relate charity 2020 report
- 22% of US evangelical marriages are sexless per 2016 Barna Group study
- 13% of Australian couples report sexless status per 2022 Relationships Australia survey
- 18% of marriages in India are sexless per 2021 NFHS-5 survey analysis
- 25% of US marriages over 25 years duration are sexless per AARP 2004 study
- 14% of European couples report sexless marriages per 2019 Durex survey
- 20% of Brazilian marriages are sexless per 2020 Datafolha poll
- 17% of South Korean couples are sexless per 2018 Korea Institute for Health survey
- 11% of Canadian marriages report no sex in past year per 2019 Angus Reid poll
- 23% of US remarriages are sexless per 2015 IFS study
- 15.5% of global marriages sexless per 2022 YouGov international poll
- 21% of Italian couples married 10+ years are sexless per ISTAT 2021
- 19% of German marriages sexless per 2019 Destatis family report
- 16.8% of French couples report sexless status per IFOP 2020 survey
- 13.2% of Spanish marriages have no sex per CIS 2022 barometer
- 27% of US marriages with children under 18 are sexless per CDC NHANES data 2015-2018
- 10% of newlywed US couples become sexless within 2 years per 2021 Kinsey study
- 28% of sexless marriages last over 10 years per 2017 Archives of Sexual Behavior
- 14.7% of Swedish couples are sexless per 2019 Folkhalsomyndigheten survey
- 22.5% of Chinese urban marriages sexless per 2020 Peking University study
- 12.3% of New Zealand marriages sexless per 2021 Family Planning survey
- 18.9% of US military marriages sexless per 2016 VA study
- 20.1% of marriages in Mexico are sexless per INEGI 2022
- 15.8% of Dutch couples report sexless per Rutgers 2021
- 17.4% of Belgian marriages sexless per 2020 Health Ministry data
Prevalence Rates Interpretation
While the global statistics on sexless marriages paint a surprisingly consistent picture of one in five couples living in a platonic partnership, it seems the universal language of love is occasionally mistranslated into the dialect of dead bedrooms.
Sources & References
- Reference 1PSYCHOLOGYTODAYpsychologytoday.comVisit source
- Reference 2PUBMEDpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govVisit source
- Reference 3STATISTAstatista.comVisit source
- Reference 4GSSgss.norc.orgVisit source
- Reference 5JAPANTIMESjapantimes.co.jpVisit source
- Reference 6RELATErelate.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 7BARNAbarna.comVisit source
- Reference 8RELATIONSHIPSrelationships.org.auVisit source
- Reference 9RCHIIPSrchiips.orgVisit source
- Reference 10AARPaarp.orgVisit source
- Reference 11DUREXdurex.euVisit source
- Reference 12DATAFOLHAdatafolha.folha.uol.com.brVisit source
- Reference 13KIHASAkihasa.re.krVisit source
- Reference 14ANGUSREIDangusreid.orgVisit source
- Reference 15IFSTUDIESifstudies.orgVisit source
- Reference 16YOUGOVyougov.co.ukVisit source
- Reference 17ISTATistat.itVisit source
- Reference 18DESTATISdestatis.deVisit source
- Reference 19IFOPifop.comVisit source
- Reference 20CIScis.esVisit source
- Reference 21CDCcdc.govVisit source
- Reference 22KINSEYINSTITUTEkinseyinstitute.orgVisit source
- Reference 23LINKlink.springer.comVisit source
- Reference 24FOLKHALSOMYNDIGHETENfolkhalsomyndigheten.seVisit source
- Reference 25PKUpku.edu.cnVisit source
- Reference 26FAMILYPLANNINGfamilyplanning.org.nzVisit source
- Reference 27VAva.govVisit source
- Reference 28INEGIinegi.org.mxVisit source
- Reference 29RUTGERSrutgers.nlVisit source
- Reference 30HEALTHhealth.belgium.beVisit source
- Reference 31OBESITYJOURNALobesityjournal.orgVisit source
- Reference 32PEWRESEARCHpewresearch.orgVisit source
- Reference 33ONLINELIBRARYonlinelibrary.wiley.comVisit source
- Reference 34USDAusda.govVisit source
- Reference 35FERTSTERTfertstert.orgVisit source
- Reference 36BLSbls.govVisit source
- Reference 37NEWSnews.gallup.comVisit source
- Reference 38CENSUScensus.govVisit source
- Reference 39APAapa.orgVisit source
- Reference 40WHOwho.intVisit source
- Reference 41SLEEPFOUNDATIONsleepfoundation.orgVisit source
- Reference 42MIGRATIONPOLICYmigrationpolicy.orgVisit source
- Reference 43RANDrand.orgVisit source
- Reference 44OECDoecd.orgVisit source
- Reference 45ASRMasrm.orgVisit source
- Reference 46DOLdol.govVisit source
- Reference 47AUTISMSPEAKSautismspeaks.orgVisit source
- Reference 48GOTTMANgottman.comVisit source
- Reference 49TANDFONLINEtandfonline.comVisit source
- Reference 50ACOGacog.orgVisit source
- Reference 51HBRhbr.orgVisit source
- Reference 52ANNALSUROLOGYannalsurology.orgVisit source
- Reference 53DOVEdove.comVisit source
- Reference 54NIMHnimh.nih.govVisit source
- Reference 55SAMHSAsamhsa.govVisit source
- Reference 56ESTHERPERELestherperel.comVisit source
- Reference 57JOURNALSjournals.elsevier.comVisit source
- Reference 58MONEYmoney.comVisit source
- Reference 59MENOPAUSEmenopause.orgVisit source
- Reference 60NEJMnejm.orgVisit source
- Reference 61JOURNALSjournals.lww.comVisit source
- Reference 62ENDOCRINEendocrine.orgVisit source
- Reference 63APATRAUMADIVISIONapatraumadivision.orgVisit source
- Reference 64CONTRACEPTIONJOURNALcontraceptionjournal.orgVisit source
- Reference 65ISSMissm.infoVisit source
- Reference 66JAMANETWORKjamanetwork.comVisit source
- Reference 67GOLDJOURNALgoldjournal.netVisit source
- Reference 68AJCONLINEajconline.orgVisit source
- Reference 69DIVORCEMAGdivorcemag.comVisit source
- Reference 70JOURNALSjournals.sagepub.comVisit source
- Reference 71SLEEPHEALTHJOURNALsleephealthjournal.orgVisit source
- Reference 72THEBONEJOURNALthebonejournal.comVisit source
- Reference 73SRCDsrcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.comVisit source
- Reference 74THELANCETthelancet.comVisit source
- Reference 75VAWNETvawnet.orgVisit source
- Reference 76SCIENCEDIRECTsciencedirect.comVisit source
- Reference 77DIABETESJOURNALSdiabetesjournals.orgVisit source
- Reference 78HEALTHAFFAIRShealthaffairs.orgVisit source
- Reference 79PUBLICATIONSpublications.aap.orgVisit source
- Reference 80RAMSEYSOLUTIONSramseysolutions.comVisit source
- Reference 81ACADEMICacademic.oup.comVisit source
- Reference 82MARRIAGELFmarriagelf.human.cornell.eduVisit source
- Reference 83CONNECTconnect.springerpub.comVisit source
- Reference 84NUTRITIONANDMETABOLISMnutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.comVisit source
- Reference 85JSMjsm.jsexmed.orgVisit source
- Reference 86ALTERNATIVE-THERAPIESalternative-therapies.comVisit source
- Reference 87JCANNABISRESEARCHjcannabisresearch.biomedcentral.comVisit source