Struggling with financial pressures can have a variety of impacts on your health, largely negatively affecting mental health. However in a shocking new survey, the negative effects of financial hardship can overflow into the bedroom.
New research conducted by investing platform Raiz Invest Limited has discovered that men in particular are identifying financial stress as having a negative impact on their sex lives.
The survey was designed to identify the differences in financial stress manifestation between millennial men and women, with an Australian sample size of 1000 used for the data.
On the whole, women appeared to be more financially stressed, with 42 per cent identifying regular financial pressure, compared to just 28 per cent of men.
Whilst financial instability manifests itself as sleeplessness, depression and illness in women, men let the pressures affect their sex lives significantly, according to the results.
One third of the men surveyed identified this negative impact, with 16 per cent also suggesting that they would forgo regular sex in exchange for financial security.
The link between financial stability and sexual activity has been well documented before. According to a 2017 survey, 56 per cent of men admitted they’d give up sex for $1 million.
“It’s rather surprising that such a high proportion of people, especially men, would prefer money over sex,” said Emma Kenny, psychologist and director of Make Your Switch, the company behind the research.
“Sex is great for mental and physical wellbeing and should you feel that money is more important then it is likely that you have issues in your relationship or with your libido.”
However the new findings by Raiz reinforce another underlying link not only between finances and sex, but the effects of hardship on relationships. A similar study by Northwestern Mutual in the United States identified money as the most common source of stress in American households.
Over 40 per cent of those studied by Northwestern Mutual said that financial stress had caused negative experiences in their relationships, with 20 per cent saying they argued monthly about finances.