Thanks to the advent of modern technology, Brits are doing the old mattress mambo with decreasing regularity!
The National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal) probing the sexual habits of people in Britain has found that fireworks in the bedroom are steadily declining.
Dr Cath Mercer, a researcher from University College London stated, “We need to take account of the fact that fewer people are living with their sexual partners nowadays so fewer people are having the opportunity to have sex. However it is interesting from our data to observe a decline in sexual frequency even among those who are living [together] or are married to their sexual partner.”
Findings of the once-in-a-decade poll
Researchers at the University College London surveyed more than 15,000 adults between the ages of 16 and 44 between September 2010 and August 2012. The respondents were asked how many times they were having sex. Between 1990-91 and 1999-2001 people aged 16 to 44 enjoyed sex six times a month on an average. Today that number had dwindled to less than five times.
While Britons were getting less frisky under the sheets, they are becoming more adventurous with their sexual practices at all ages. The study found individuals are more inclined to expand their sexual repertoire and women are engaging in erotic encounter with more partners than before.
The fairer sex recorded a jump from four to eight sex partners while for men the number rose from nine to 12. Senior respondents also enjoyed a normal sex life. The survey found 42 percent women and 60 percent men had reportedly engaged in physical intimacy regularly during the past year. It was noted that individuals between ages 25 and 34 were sexually most active enjoying a bedroom romp at least 5.4 times a month.
Experts blame the decreased sexual activity on ‘distractions’ such as computers, iPads and mobile phones and viewing on-demand video apps at bedtime.
“People are worried about their jobs, worried about money,” said Dr Cath Mercer. “They are not in the mood for sex.” She added, “But we also think modern technologies are behind the trend too. People have tablets and smartphones and they are taking them into the bedroom, using Twitter and Facebook, answering emails.”
The results of the survey, the third in the series carried out every ten years by the University College London, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine were published in the Lancet medical journal.
