{"id":230183,"date":"2025-10-21T20:40:08","date_gmt":"2025-10-21T20:40:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/230183\/"},"modified":"2025-10-21T20:40:08","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T20:40:08","slug":"does-gen-z-care-more-about-exercise-than-sex-or-are-we-just-too-tired-to-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/230183\/","title":{"rendered":"Does Gen Z care more about exercise than sex? Or are we just too tired to care"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-1552726906.jpg\" class=\"article-image wp-image-24485307\" alt=\"Interracial couple sleeping on the bed. Close up legs.\" decoding=\"sync\"\/><br \/>\n\t\tAre Gen Z having less sex? Or are we just juggling too many things to prioritise it? (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n<p><a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/lifestyle\/sex\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sex<\/a> and exercise \u2013 both get you sweaty and release endorphins, but is Gen Z only interested in prioritising one?<\/p>\n<p>We all have that one friend who\u2019ll check their Strava notifications before their Hinge matches, or will skip out on a late night hook up in favour of hitting the squat rack first thing.<\/p>\n<p>And while it\u2019s easy to laugh off rumours of Gen Z being in a \u2018sex recession\u2019, maybe there is some truth to it all?<\/p>\n<p>A recent survey of more than 2,000 UK adults found sex is not a priority for four in five Brits aged 18-24, with more than a fifth of participants saying that they would prioritise a workout. <\/p>\n<p>In fact, getting a full eight hours sleep, staying out late with friends, and pulling a late shift at work all trumped getting laid, according to the study carried out by erotic audio platform Bloom Stories.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-1436374741.jpg\" class=\"article-image wp-image-24485354\" alt=\"Couple holding hands\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\/><br \/>\n\t\tYoung people are struggling to find time to express themselves sexually (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n<p>But, it\u2019s not so straightforward. It\u2019s not that Gen Z don\u2019t want to be having sex, they just don\u2019t have the capacity or time for it.<\/p>\n<p>And it\u2019s not hard to see why. Currently, young people are juggling a mounting housing crisis, employment decline, global warming, <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/mental-health\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">mental health<\/a> issues, and ongoing political chaos. <\/p>\n<p>No wonder no-one has the time to get hot and heavy under the covers or snog a stranger in the street.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\tSign up to The Hook-Up, Metro&#8217;s sex and dating newsletter\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>Love reading juicy stories like this? Need some tips for how to spice things up in the bedroom? <\/p>\n<p><a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/newsletters\/hook-up\/?ito=dating-article&amp;signup-source=dating-article-link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sign up to The Hook-Up<\/a> and we&#8217;ll slide into your inbox every week with all the latest sex and dating stories from Metro. We can&#8217;t wait for you to join us!<\/p>\n<p>Sex expert and editorial firector at Bloom Stories, Jaimee Bell, tells Metro: \u2018Research shows that physical intimacy has a key role to play in supporting our wellbeing. The problem is the busyness of our modern lives and the pressures we\u2019re surrounded by, which leave little room for play.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>And now that we\u2019re moving into colder and darker months, fatigue is only going to become trickier.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\tHow to feel sexy when you&#8217;re lacking energy\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>Sex expert Jaimee Bell recommends trying one of these three things when you feel as though you want to prioritise having sex but you\u2019re struggling to find the bandwidth or time:<\/p>\n<p>Seize the moment \u2013 \u2018Life has a habit of getting in the way of sex, so intimacy can\u2019t always be our number one priority \u2013 even if we\u2019d like it to. The key is to start small. Give yourself permission to seize windows of time where you can disconnect from the outside world and focus on play \u2013 whether by yourself or with a partner.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Try intimacy anchoring \u2013 \u2018Introducing habit stacking\u2019s sexier twin. Like habit stacking, intimacy anchoring is about slotting a new habit into your normal routine. For example, always taking a little \u2018me time\u2019 after your Sunday morning shower.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Take the pressure off \u2013 \u2018Let go of any expectations of what the \u2018perfect\u2019 sex life looks like. It doesn\u2019t exist. We all have different libidos, needs and desires. Unlike in the gym, there are no set exercises, and no PB to chase. Simply allow yourself to explore and get curious about what turns you on and makes you feel good. Half the fun is in the discovery.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>And for some young people, getting a sweat on at the gym reaps bigger rewards.<\/p>\n<p>Data has shown that Gen Z spend more time on fitness than any other generation, with <a href=\"https:\/\/eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmailstat.us%2Ftr%2Ft2%2Fe65e5b4%2Fq3nuhq0at4a4c2%2F10%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.thetimes.com%2Fbusiness-money%2Fcompanies%2Farticle%2Ftreadmill-beats-the-takeaway-as-gen-z-focus-on-fitness-and-health-j2t0q03qz&amp;data=05%7C02%7Ccharlie.sawyer%40metro.co.uk%7Cb1cacfaf0c764bc053a308de0d85d0b8%7C0f3a4c644dc54a768d4152d85ca158a5%7C0%7C0%7C638963067405846417%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C40000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=TgVHLiYxJrPwlxVgxsvKSQLkknlOMEOaVDu0P9pOw3w%3D&amp;reserved=0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">almost half (44%)<\/a>\u00a0of this age group prioritising exercise in their day-to-day life.<\/p>\n<p>Francesca, 25, shared with Metro: \u2018A workout is a guaranteed amount of time where you know you\u2019re going to feel good in yourself, you can control it. Whereas with sex, it might not always leave you feeling good and it can be unpredictable.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Everyone is different. For Francesca, she personally understands the addictive nature of exercise more so than sex.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-1773192171.jpg\" class=\"article-image wp-image-24485559\" alt=\"Smiling young woman leaning on barbell at health club\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\/><br \/>\n\t\tSome Gen Z prefer spending their time on a workout because it\u2019s a guaranteed high (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n<p>For others, prioritising exercise over their sex lives is an entirely connected decision.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Maybe there\u2019s a sex recession because young people feel like they need to work out in order to have sex. Even though we\u2019re not in the 90s or 00s anymore, <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/social-media\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">social media<\/a> and the <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/ozempic\/&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiakJe7srWQAxUyZ0EAHQ1zGfUQFnoECAwQAQ&amp;usg=AOvVaw1p7kaXUThn5A5Yho-yFfsX\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Ozempic<\/a> era has definitely taken its toll on people\u2019s perception of a so-called \u2018normal body,\u2019 Olivia, 23, said.<\/p>\n<p>Jamiee reiterates this thought, stating that for a lot of young people, the importance of sexual <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/wellness\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">wellness<\/a> and pleasure has been lost amid \u2018the clamour and influencer-driven fitness and nutrition trends.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\u2018They\u2019re gaining PBs and picture-perfect wellness routines at the expense of sexual intimacy and human connection, which are just as important for staying well,\u2019 the expert explained.<\/p>\n<p>For lots of Gen Z, there\u2019s still an obsessive desire to fit a certain mould. The bodies we aspire to are on our <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/smartphones\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">phone<\/a> screens now, as well as on our TVs. And worryingly, the rise of <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/07\/25\/vogue-started-using-ai-models-mean-beauty-standards-23752411\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">AI models<\/a> means we\u2019re comparing ourselves to people who aren\u2019t even real.<\/p>\n<p>For a lot of young people sex still matters a lot, it\u2019s just a case of silencing the noise and figuring out the best ways to work into our already very hectic lives.<\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\">Arrow<br \/>\nMORE: <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/10\/21\/didnt-think-twice-21-year-age-gap-got-cancer-24473795\/?ico=more_text_links\" class=\"\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">I didn\u2019t think twice about our 21-year age gap \u2014 then he got cancer<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\">Arrow<br \/>\nMORE: <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/10\/20\/this-simple-one-minute-test-reveals-fit-according-age-24473536\/?ico=more_text_links\" class=\"\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">All you need is a chair for this one-minute test that shows how fit you are for your age<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\">Arrow<br \/>\nMORE: <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/10\/19\/rushed-help-got-run-noticed-wasnt-wearing-a-ring-24466231\/?ico=more_text_links\" class=\"\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">I rushed to help when he got run over \u2014 then I noticed he wasn\u2019t wearing a ring<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"metro-button share-bar-comments\" data-vars-position=\"bottom\" href=\"#metro-comments-container\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tComment now<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\tComments<br \/>\n\t\t<\/a><a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" class=\"metro-button share-bar-preferred-source\" data-vars-position=\"bottom\" href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/metro.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\tAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\tAdd as preferred source<br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\tThe Hook Up<\/p>\n<p>Metro&#8217;s hottest newsletter, with juicy stories and tips for spicing things up in the bedroom. 18+<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Are Gen Z having less sex? Or are we just juggling too many things to prioritise it? (Picture:&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":230184,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[49,48,408,407,84,890,2392,9748,109652],"class_list":{"0":"post-230183","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-exercise","11":"tag-fitness","12":"tag-health","13":"tag-lifestyle","14":"tag-relationships","15":"tag-sex","16":"tag-sex-tips"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/230183","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=230183"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/230183\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/230184"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=230183"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=230183"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=230183"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}