Does It Feel Like Yesterday or Like It’s Been Forever? Subjective Time Since Sex in Romantic Relationships

Abstract

Sexual frequency in relationships is associated with satisfaction. Beyond objective reports, the subjective time since sex might also be associated with relationship evaluations. When sex feels further away, do people feel less satisfied? Do they desire sex more? In a cross-sectional study (Study 1), when one’s last sexual experience felt further away, people reported lower sexual satisfaction and desire. In an experimental study (Study 2), women (but not men) who were made to feel that the last sex was further (vs. closer) reported lower desire, but overall, there was limited evidence of causal effects. However, in a 21-day daily experience study (Study 3), within-person lagged models revealed that sex feeling further away was associated with lower sexual satisfaction, but higher desire, tomorrow, and higher desire and satisfaction were associated with sex feeling further away tomorrow. Subjective time since sex has nuanced associations in relationships, especially with desire and satisfaction in daily life.