"I'd Rather Just Sleep at Home"... What Generation Z Values More Than Sex

In the survey, 67% chose sufficient sleep over sex
Experts: "Impact of digital-centered lives and more cautious relationships"

A survey has found that Generation Z places higher priority on sleep and personal stability than on sexual relationships, compared with previous generations.

The New York Post, a U.S. media outlet, reported this based on a survey conducted by the educational platform Edubuddy on 2,000 members of Generation Z. According to the survey, 67% of respondents said they would choose sufficient sleep over a satisfying sex life.

In addition, 64% said that maintaining a stable job is more important, and 59% responded that they prioritize personal success. Half (50%) said they are focusing on maintaining healthy friendships, while 46% answered that they prefer time alone over sex.

However, the findings do not suggest that Generation Z is entirely passive about sex. A total of 37% of respondents said they have had a variety of sexual experiences, and 29% said they have had sex in public places. Another 23% responded that they have exchanged sexual messages at work.

The photo is not directly related to this article. Pixabay

Julia Aleksenko, a pop culture and media analyst at Edubuddy, analyzed that "Generation Z is a generation that grew up amid a conservative current that emerged after liberationist social movements." She added, "They spend more time on digital platforms than in physical spaces, and tend to focus on content consumption and self-care."

They also appear to be more cautious when it comes to intimate relationships. A total of 82% of respondents said that boundaries should be discussed before a relationship progresses, and 92% said they feel confident expressing refusal in unwanted situations during sex. Aleksenko assessed, "The choice to avoid meaningless experiences that one might later regret is not necessarily a phenomenon that should be viewed negatively."

This trend is not limited to Generation Z. According to the U.S. General Social Survey, the share of people who said they had not had sex in the past year reached one in three men and one in five women.

Experts believe that the social media environment influences how relationships are formed. Sex neuroscientist Debra Soh, in her book "The End of Sex: The Decline of Sex and the Future of Intimacy," pointed out that exaggerated idealized images on social media can distort men’s and women’s expectations of relationships.