In some cases, love can wane because one or both partners "let go" of their physical appearance. In some cases, attraction begins to dissipate because partners no longer make one another a priority. In still others, attraction wanes without a distinct, identifiable source, and couples find themselves growing apart.
Some have to do with specific changes within a person over time that has altered their attraction to their partner. If you were relatively young when you got together with your partner, you might find that the attraction you had at the outset for them has faded as result of your own personal growth and maturity.
There are many factors that might be affecting his sex drive—an undiagnosed medical condition, a side effect of a medication, a hormonal imbalance, stress, depression, low self-esteem, trauma, or even problems in your marriage that he hasn't brought up.
There are several reasons why men lose interest in sex. Causes include aging, mental illnesses, and lifestyle choices linked to decreasing testosterone. The treatment for low libido may depend on its underlying cause. Talk to your doctor if you experience low sex drive for long periods.
The lack of physical touch, emotional connection, and sexual intimacy can lead to feelings of loneliness, depression, and low self-esteem. It can also cause physical symptoms such as headaches, insomnia, and decreased libido.
Debi Silber, a transformational psychologist and health, mindset and personal-development speaker, reduced sexual attraction may be the result of needs and expectations being unmet. Not feeling as attracted to your partner is a “natural response” when this happens, as is pulling back, Silber explains.
The lack of adequate communication can lead to loss of attraction. Failure to share activities – As your relationship lasts, you tend to fall into a routine and stop sharing new adventures with your partner. This lack of fresh activities can lead to you starting to lose attraction to your significant other.
The short answer is that yes, a sexless marriage can survive – but it can come at a cost. If one partner desires sex but the other is uninterested, lack of sex can lead to decreased intimacy and connection, feelings of resentment and even infidelity.
In fact, couples therapists say that feeling is quite common. “Loss of attraction tends to develop over time when partners no longer share new or exciting experiences,” says Rebecca Phillips, a therapist in Frisco, TX. “When you're no longer curious about your partner, you can feel stagnant and bored.”
Besides no longer getting excited to spend time together, you may find yourself flat-out avoiding your partner. You may stay late at work, see movies or eat dinner by yourself, or even take the long way home to avoid being with your partner for a moment longer than you have to.
You're not interested in date night anymore. You no longer feel excited or look forward to going out on a date with your boyfriend. If you do go out, you lack effort into your looks to make yourself look more desirable.
The truth is, yes, typically relationships will shift and change over time and sometimes that magical spark your relationship used to have, may fade away. The good news is that once the honeymoon phase ends, it creates room for a more intimate relationship.
As we form a lasting romantic bond, dopamine and norepinephrine stop flowing. They're replaced by hormones associated with social bonding, like oxytocin.
Movies try to convince us we'll feel this way forever, but the intense romance has an expiration date for everyone. Expect the passion to last two to three years at most, says Dr. Fred Nour, a neurologist in Mission Viejo, California, and author of the book “True Love: How to Use Science to Understand Love.”
Sometimes your partner may be giving you less affection than you'd like. In these cases, your partner may just require and prefer to give different levels of affection than you. In some cases, your partner could be trying to deal with effects that come with anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder.
It is common to have less sex when married.
Some even report having a sexless marriage. Therefore, if you see a drop in the intimacy level in your marriage, you are not alone. There are several factors that can contribute to this, like financial struggles, health issues, mental health problems, and many more.
Most men enjoy sex well into their 70s.
The average man is still active at 75, and may enjoy another decade of fulfilling sexual escapades.
"The one biggest piece of advice I can give when it comes to telling your partner you are not satisfied with your sex life is using an 'I feel X when you do Y' statement," Dabney told INSIDER. "What I mean by this is to not criticize them but to explain how you feel because of the sex life or situation."