Gen Z is increasingly prioritizing rest, stability, and personal boundaries over sexual activity, according to new survey data. In a poll of 2,000 people born between 1997 and 2012 conducted by EduBirdie/EduBuddy, 67% said they would rather get a good night’s sleep than have sex. Another 64% placed maintaining a stable job ahead of sexual intercourse, and 59% emphasized personal success. About half said they are devoting attention to cultivating healthy friendships, and 46% prefer spending time alone to having sex. These findings depict a tilt toward well‑being, career footing, and reliable social bonds in place of traditional expectations around intimacy, according to Money Today.
The survey also points to more deliberate approaches to consent and communication. A large majority said that boundaries should be discussed before a relationship develops (82%). And 92% reported feeling confident expressing refusal in unwanted sexual situations. Behavior within the cohort varies. Of Gen Z respondents, 37% said they have had sex, 29% reported having sexual relations in public places, and 23% said they exchange sexually explicit messages at work.
Cultural and media analysts link these developments to digital life and changing social norms. They cite conservative trends in the environment in which Gen Z came of age and an online ecosystem that offers immediate gratifications, from self‑care routines to endless content consumption, without requiring the logistics of physical meetups. Social media’s idealization of appearance and lifestyle is cited as a force elevating expectations to unrealistic levels. Analysts say this can undermine confidence, complicate dating dynamics, and dull the appeal of in‑person intimacy.
Neuroscientist Dr. Debra Soh and cultural analyst Julia Alexenko connect part of the decline in sexual activity to social platforms and the normalization of unattainable standards. For many in Gen Z, the milieu of the birth control pill and the “free love” culture of the 1960s and 1970s is remote from day‑to‑day reality. This contrast helps explain why many young adults are channeling effort into stable work, individual achievements, and carefully chosen friendships rather than seeking meaning primarily through sexual relationships.
The trend is not limited to one generation. Data from the U.S. General Social Survey show that a notable portion of adults overall reported no sexual relations in the past year, with one in three men and one in five women falling into that category.
Produced with the assistance of a news-analysis system.