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Do most marriages end up sexless?

Author

Noah Mitchell

Published Jan 20, 2026

This is more common than you may imagine: research from the sociology department at Georgia State University in the US suggests that 15% of married couples have not had sex with their spouse within the past six to 12 months.

How common is a sexless marriage?

According to one study, approximately 15 percent of married couples are sexless: Spouses haven't had sex with each other in the past six months to one year.

How long do sexless marriages last?

For some, sexless unions can last a lifetime, but for others be intolerable after two weeks. Couples don't like to discuss this openly because they're under the impression other couples are having sex all the time.

Is it normal for married couples not to be intimate?

Many couples experience a drop-off in sex and physical intimacy within the first few years of marriage, particularly if kids come into the picture. 1 However, the complete loss of physical intimacy that once was a part of the relationship often signals a problem that needs to be addressed.

Can a sexless marriage be happy?

One thing is for sure — it doesn't mean your relationship lacks love, says Jennifer Freed, PhD, marriage and family therapist in private practice in Santa Barbara, Calif. She estimates that about 5 to 7 percent of the couples she sees in her practice are perfectly happy in their sexless marriages.

15 related questions found

What percentage of sexless marriages end in divorce?

What percentage of sexless marriages end in divorce? It's not known what percentage of sexless marriages end in divorce, but if the rate is in keeping with the overall divorce rate in America, it would be about 50 percent. Chances are that the percentage of sexless marriages ending in divorce is even higher.

How a sexless marriage affects a woman?

When one or both people are unhappy with the sexlessness, she says some potential effects include: Negative feelings like loneliness, resentment, frustration, guilt, rejection, and inadequacy. Negative feelings and pressure around sex, triggering a sexual avoidance cycle. Less openness and connection.

Why do marriages become sexless?

Why do marriages become sexless? Marriages become sexless for a variety of reasons. Common reasons are a lack of desire, postpartum depression, frequent marital conflict, or a recent marital crisis or personal crisis that has impacted the client.

What does lack of intimacy do to a person?

Lack of emotional intimacy can not only lead one or both partners to hide their emotions, but can also make it a struggle for you to involve your partner in your life. This could mean not spending time with each other, not talking much to each other or even not keeping up with each other's lives.

Is sexless marriage reason for divorce?

Although a sexless marriage is not listed in the law as a ground of fault for absolute divorce or divorce from bed and board, it can be strong evidence for a court to find constructive abandonment.

Why do couples stop being intimate?

Why people say they are not having sex: We're too busy with the kids/work and don't have time. We've lost the spark; I'm not attracted to her/him any more. When we do have sex it goes well, but it's awkward for either of us to initiate.

Does sexless marriage lead to cheating?

Some couples are also asexual so in that case, the sexlessness is the way they want their marriage to be. So it is possible to survive in a non-sexual marriage and not cheat. But sexless marriages often lead to extramarital affairs and the propensity to cheating.

What does a sexless marriage do to a man?

Lack of sex can lead to mental health issues, especially when the man feels that he cannot perform well in bed and satisfy his wife's sexual needs. This can lead to the psychological effects of sexless marriage. Depression and anxiety can become common consequences of a sexless marriage.

How can I satisfy myself in a sexless marriage?

8 Ways To Still Get Yours When You're In A Sexless Marriage

  1. Remember you are not alone. ...
  2. Identify why you stopped having sex. ...
  3. Know that the honeymoon period isn't a given. ...
  4. Don't feel pressured to have sex. ...
  5. Don't think about sex as just intercourse. ...
  6. But do ask yourself if a sexless life is satisfying for you.

What does lack of affection do to a woman?

Key points. Feeling deprived of meaningful human contact can be referred to as skin hunger. People with skin hunger, or who are affection-deprived, are more likely to experience depression and stress, and in general, worse health.

How do you know when your husband stops loving you?

Signs your husband isn't in love with you:

  • He's no longer affectionate with you.
  • He spends a lot of time alone or out of the house.
  • He doesn't really engage in conversation with you anymore.
  • He's become closed off.
  • He no longer goes out of his way to care for your relationship.
  • Identify what's changed.

How do you live with an unaffectionate husband?

We list 12 things you can do to deal with an unromantic husband:

  1. Accept your husband as he is. ...
  2. Appreciate your husband for who he is. ...
  3. Don't let social media influence you. ...
  4. Why do you say, “My husband is not romantic?” ...
  5. Give him some ideas. ...
  6. He isn't big on birthdays. ...
  7. Never tell him what other husbands do.

Can a relationship survive lack of intimacy?

Keeping intimacy important

A relationship can survive without intimacy, but it will become a real struggle for both partners as time goes on; neither partner will be happy or feel secure in the relationship. Without happiness and security, the basis of a relationship is complicated.

Whats the Number 1 reason for divorce?

Money is the number 1 reason behind causing a divorce between couples. In fact, all statistics also show that a lack of meeting needs leads to a huge dispute over money.

What does it mean if your husband doesn't want to be intimate?

There are many factors that might be affecting his sex drive—an undiagnosed medical condition, a side effect of a medication, a hormonal imbalance, stress, depression, low self-esteem, trauma, or even problems in your marriage that he hasn't brought up.

How do you stay faithful in a sexless marriage?

10 methods for surviving a sexless marriage that don't involve cheating

  1. It's important to say your peace.
  2. Choose to be specific.
  3. Tell the truth.
  4. Don't assume or try to guess the problem.
  5. Discuss each other's needs.
  6. Find alternatives or ways to release the frustration.
  7. Take the time to enjoy each other.

Is it better to be unhappily married or divorced?

A 2002 study found that two-thirds of unhappy adults who stayed together were happy five years later. They also found that those who divorced were no happier, on average, than those who stayed together. In other words, most people who are unhappily married—or cohabiting—end up happy if they stick at it.

Why do most marriages fail?

We polled over 100 YourTango experts to see what they say are the top reasons married couples decide to split, and -- believe it or not -- communication problems came out on top as the number one reason marriages fail. Here are some other culprits our experts blame for the high divorce rate.

Are most marriages happy?

Married couples rated their life satisfaction 9.9% higher than widows and widowers. Married couples were 8.8% happier than higher than divorced or separated people. Singles, however, only reported being 0.2% happier than those who are divorced.

How do you end a sexless relationship?

Tips for Helping Your Marriage Survive a Sexless Period

  1. Consider Marriage Counseling. Whenever you're having sweeping relationship problems but you and your spouse aren't ready to call it quits, our advice is the same: find a marriage counselor and get talking! ...
  2. Have an Open Discussion. ...
  3. Try Scheduling Sex.