© iStock

Avoiding sex with partner -

81% of the respondents said they avoided or delayed sex with their partner in the past year.

© iStock

Reasons for avoiding sex - 53% said sometimes avoided sex for being too tired to have sex, while 49% said would avoid it for being too sick.

© iStock

Disconnect between men and women - 60% of the men in the survey said they thought about sex at least once a day, compared with only 19% of the women.

© iStock

Disconnect in opinion - Men are far more likely than women to say that sex is highly important to them: 64% vs. 47%.

© iStock

Some of the consequences - All of this leads to some Americans not having the amount of sex that they would like. So what are the consequences?

© iStock

Drop in vaginal lubrication - This isn’t a direct consequence of not having sex, but it can lead to anxiety after a long spell, which scares your body into not producing enough moisture.

© iStock

Pain - The lack of vaginal moisture can unfortunately make sex painful.

© iStock

Erectile dysfunction - There seems to be a link between erectile dysfunction and lack of sex, though researchers don’t agree on which causes which.

© iStock

A weakened immune system - Having sex regularly—defined by WebMD as once or twice a week—helps build up antibodies.

© iStock

Lower libido - For women, having sex improves vaginal lubrication, blood flow, and elasticity, which makes sex better and increases libido.

© iStock

Changes in bladder control - Sex helps women strengthen their pelvic floor muscles, which helps avoid incontinence.

© iStock

Affects blood pressure - Researchers have linked sex and lower blood pressure. One study specifically found that sexual intercourse (not masturbation) lowers systolic blood pressure.

© iStock

Lower hormone production - Having regular sex helps keep estrogen and testosterone levels in balance, which helps prevent an array of health issues.

© iStock

Frustration and self-doubt - If you’re not stopping sex out of choice, you may feel less than confident in other aspects of your life.

© iStock

Increased chance of having wet dreams - Your body will try to remind you it wants sex.

© iStock

Higher chances of heart attack - A good sex life is good for the heart. One study found that men who have sex at least twice a week are half as likely to die of heart problems.

© iStock

Increased chance of prostate cancer - Men who ejaculate frequently—defined by WebMD as at least 21 times a month—were less likely to get prostate cancer.

© iStock

Stress may be higher - Having a strong physical connection to your partner soothes stress and anxiety. Also, sex releases endorphins, which regulates hormones.

© iStock

Insomnia - Upon orgasming, the body releases a hormone called prolactin, which is responsible for relaxation and sleepiness.

© iStock

Memory issues - Sex both helps improves mental performance and helps produce new cells in in the hippocampus, the brain's memory center.

© iStock

Lowers chances of UTIs - There are some positives however. Abstaining from sex reduces the chance of developing urinary tract infections because sex pushes bacteria into the tract.

© iStock

Weakened vaginal walls - Women 50 and older risk not feeling any pleasure during sex if they don't have intercourse regularly.

© iStock

Causes weight gain - Sex helps keep the hormones in check, which helps control weight.

© iStock

Disrupts your exercise routine - Hormones released during sex help regulate motivation and also increase pain tolerance.

© iStock

It might negatively affect your relationship - Sexual intimacy with a romantic partner improves communication and the overall health of the couple.

© iStock

Extra benefits - Besides the negative effects of going without sex, a healthy sex life has some added bonuses that can improve your overall health and well-being. Here are some examples.

© iStock

Lessens pain - Orgasms and vaginal stimulation can block chronic back and leg pain. Also many women have reported it reduces menstrual cramps, arthritic pain, and even headaches.

© iStock

Counts as exercise - Though it won’t replace the treadmill, sex bumps up your heart rate and uses various muscles. However it doesn’t burn very many calories (only five per minute).

© iStock

Makes your periods better - Having sex during a woman's period helps alleviate menstrual cramps.

© iStock