How important is sex in a relationship?

There is love without sex and then there is sex without love. What’s best, though, especially in the context of long-term relationships and happy marriages is good sex and affectionate love rolling together side by side.

With sex that is not backed up by a mutual emotional connection, all you’ve got is casual sex and some other forms of sexual relationships that are not the ultimate goal of many people. And where you’ve got love without sex, you might as well just be friends.

Afterall, that’s what friendship is about, right? Someone you love and have their best interests at heart but on a platonic, non-sexual relationship.

Several studies have also shown that sexual activity burns calories and fat, and cause people to live more healthy lifestyles in general.

But more important than the therapeutic goodness of sex is its impact on the emotional balance and romance in a relationship and that can never be overemphasized. It is a basic human need to seek sexual gratification, and to do so with one partner consistently, a partner that you actually love… it opens up a portal to some level of deep intimacy that is best felt than described.

What all of this goes to show is simple – sex is important for a relationship to maintain its identity. A total absence and non-consideration of it might alter the nature of what you have with your partner. So, yes, sex is absolutely important and everyone pretty much knows that.

But how important is it exactly in a relationship? What premium is the reasonable amount to place on sex’ role in a happy relationship?

 In a 2018 interview, Aminat Ayeni, a Lagos based sex therapist and of CEO of Aminat’s Secrets, Lagos says it is actually 50% important for thriving marriages relationships.

While that is a personal opinion, it is one that is easy to agree with. For many people, a relationship without sex - even if it’s one that requires them to just wait – is highly unimaginable; let alone one that totally takes away the possibility.

Whatever the case, there can be no doubt that sex is absolutely required and no one would want to be in a relationship without the prospect of it somewhere down the road.