Sexual desire can vary widely from person to person. There is no right or wrong level and it’s normal for libido to fluctuate, whatever your gender. However, new research suggests that women’s interest in sexual pleasure may be experiencing a collective dip.

A new report by Lovehoney and Womanizer found that the ‘libido gap’ has widened year-on-year in the UK, with women stating that their libido had decreased in the last 12 months. In a survey of 2,002 people, women rated their libido a 5.5 out of 10, in comparison to 6.13 for women in 2022. Meanwhile, men rated their libido a 6.8 out of 10 this year, which is an increase from 6.32 in 2022.

The so-called masturbation gap also appears to have expanded in the UK. In 2022, men who took part in this survey said they masturbated an average of 154 times a year, with women at 100 times a year. This year, however, men’s numbers have upped to 191, with women’s dropping to 71 times per year.

Lovehoney and Womanizer believe women are experiencing a drop in libido and masturbating less in response to the stress of everyday life in 2023 – including the mounting cost of living, exhaustion and a lack of time for “personal activities”. In contrast, they say, men may be prioritising self-pleasure more often in response to these pressures. But do our libidos really decline because of stress? Or could other factors be at play?

Our libidos are decreasing – is stress the cause?