What you need to know about sex in long-term relationships

1. Half the people are not satisfied with their sex livesThe bad news first: about half the people in committed relationships aren't satisfied with their sex lives, a study found. Almost all the men, and most women, wanted to have sex more often.But there is good news, too. There is a trick to keep on getting lots of action in the bedroom! Being motivated to meet your partner's sexual needs, particularly without expecting anything in return, leads to more frequent and satisfying sex, another study found.
2. Married people have more sex than singlesThere is also good news: married couples have more sex, and more varied sex, than singles. Somewhere between a quarter and half of married people have sex several times a week. Compared that to the 61 percent of singles who haven't had sex in the past year!But there are also downsides, this study found. If the sex life gets less exciting, or the amount of sex you have goes down, it can cause serious anxiety and self-doubt.As always, don't be afraid to talk to your partner when something isn't going as planned – there might be a perfectly good explanation for it!
3. Committed sex is better than casual sexMore good news for those in committed relationships! You may think you are missing out on steamy adventures with strangers, but research shows that sex in committed relationships and marriages is actually better than casual sex. That's particularly true for women, who are twice as likely to have orgasms in committed relationships, compared to casual hook-ups. One of the reasons for that could be that they feel more comfortable asking their partner for what they need and want in bed to get satisfaction.
4. Sticking to a traditional chore division, best for your sex lifeHaving a more traditional division of household chores, with men taking care of the 'tough' jobs like gardening or maintenance work and women doing the dishes and laundry, might be good for your sex life, a study found. So if you tend to be annoyed that your (male) partner doesn't help you out in the kitchen, rethink – it might mean that you do have a better sex life!By the way, would you like to guess how many women have sex with their husband or partner to get him to help out with chores? 84 percent.
5. Traveling together equals better sexDo you feel the need to take a trip with your partner? By all means, go for it! In fact, do it often. The more you travel with your partner, the better your sex will me, a study found. Your sex life can even stay better after taking a trip together; exploring the world together can permanently improve your bedroom adventures.Couples who travel together also stay together longer; that might be because if it doesn't work out when you are on vacation, you might be quicker to break up.And it doesn't matter if the traveling is for business or pleasure – as long as you are away, you will rake in the benefits. So get on a bus, train, plane – it will be good for your sex life!

Want to share more facts about sex in committed or long-term relationships? Leave your comments below or via Facebook.