Two out of five adults have sex during lockdown

According to research, only two in five adults are sexually active during the coronavirus lockdown in the UK.

Scientists at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge expected that couples locked at home with their partner would become more intimate during quarantine.

To their surprise, the opposite was the case: only just over a third (39%) of the 868 adults surveyed said they had been sexually active in the past week.

The scientists argued that sex has “a wealth of physical and mental health benefits” and can help reduce stress and anxiety in this troubling situation.

Initial research suggests that the coronavirus is mild in four out of five cases, but can cause a respiratory disease called COVID-19.

Single people “cannot find a sexual partner”

“When we started this study, we expected high levels of sexual activity during social isolation at home, but interestingly, we found that levels were very low,” said study author Dr. Lee Smith.

“This low level of sexual activity could be explained by the fact that people are currently feeling anxious and stressed due to the pandemic and are not in the mood to have sex.”

The British government imposed a curfew on March 23.

The scientists were curious to see what impact the extreme restrictions would have on the British people’s behavior in bed.

“Sexuality is complex and encompasses myriad phenomena, including relationships, behaviors, attitudes, identity, orientation, beliefs, and activities,” they wrote in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.

The team asked adults aged 25 to 34 how often they were sexually active on average per week of lockdown.

The results showed that 39.9% reported having intimacy at least once every seven days, while the remaining 60.1% did not participate in any sexual activity.

Sex was more common among male participants, those who were married, and those who drank alcohol.

“Those who are not married or living in a cohabiting relationship may not be able to meet their sexual partner right now. And those who use online apps for casual sex may not be able to do so right now either,” Dr Smith said.

Sex has “a wealth of benefits for physical and mental health”

The results also showed that participants had more sex as the lockdown lasted.

The scientists wondered whether a longer period of self-isolation automatically leads to a higher likelihood of sex during lockdown or whether people use intimacy to relieve stress and counteract boredom.

“In addition, people today lead busy lives and may have little free time to spend with their life partner,” the researchers write.

“Self-isolation due to COVID-19 may have disrupted daily activities that take up time, such as commuting to work. This time can be spent with one’s partner, allowing one to reconnect with one’s partner and subsequently engage in sexual activity as isolation increases.”

The scientists emphasized that the benefits of intimacy should not be underestimated.

“A regular and problem-free sex life is associated with a wealth of physical and mental health benefits,” they wrote.

Sexual inactivity has been linked to everything from bladder problems and psychological issues to heart disease and poor eyesight.

Experts had previously warned that the coronavirus could have a “pervasive” and “profound” impact on people’s emotional wellbeing, with many feeling stressed, isolated and anxious.

“It is possible that maintaining an active sex life or reintroducing regular sexual activity into one’s life during self-isolation (or) social distancing may mitigate some of the potentially harmful consequences of COVID-19 self-isolation,” the scientists wrote.

They want positive sexual health measures to be included in feel-good messages during lockdown.

What is the coronavirus?

The coronavirus is one of seven strains of a class of viruses known to infect humans.

Others cause everything from the common cold to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), which killed 774 people during an outbreak in 2002/03.

Since the coronavirus outbreak, more than 5.5 million cases have been confirmed worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Of these cases, over 2.2 million are known to have recovered.

The death toll worldwide is over 350,500.

The coronavirus spreads primarily face-to-face via infected droplets emitted when coughing or sneezing.

There is also evidence that the disease is transmitted through feces and can survive on surfaces.

Symptoms include fever, cough, fatigue, mild shortness of breath, and loss of taste or smell.

There is no set treatment for coronavirus. Most patients fight the infection naturally.

Those who need to be hospitalized will receive “supportive care,” such as ventilation, while their immune systems get to work.

Officials are urging people to prevent infection by washing hands regularly and maintaining social distancing.

Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK’s Dating at a Distance.

Coronavirus: What happened today

Click here to sign up to our daily catch-up newsletter with the latest news, advice and information.

Read more about COVID-19

How to get a coronavirus test if you have symptoms
What you can and cannot do under the lockdown rules
In pictures: This is what British school classes could look like in the new normal
This is what public transport could look like after the lockdown
How our public spaces will change in the future

Help and advice

The full list of official FAQs can be found here.
10 tips from the NHS for dealing with anxiety
What to do if you think you have symptoms?
How to get help if you have been put on leave