Gen Z has reached the age where older generations expect them to be feral in a way that’s both exhausting and, frankly, kind of impressive. Party hard, hook up constantly, pretend you’re never tired. Meanwhile, a new survey says a large share of them would rather just go to bed.
EduBirdie surveyed 2,000 Gen Z adults and found 67% would pick a solid night of sleep over sex. Career security came next at 64%, then personal success at 59%, friendships at 50%, and alone time at 46%. The horny trophy goes back on the shelf for now.
Now, hold on. I know you want to roll your eyes and mutter “kids these days,” but they have their reasons. The survey suggests Gen Z is deliberate about intimacy, with majorities saying they discuss limits before sex and feel confident saying no.
Gen Z Is Saying No to Sex and Yes to Something More Practical
A pop culture and media analyst at EduBirdie, Julia Alexeenko, framed it as a generation growing up during a conservative backlash after earlier liberation eras, while also spending huge amounts of life inside apps instead of physical social spaces.
Sleep is also the only thing in this economy that feels like a guaranteed return. Dating costs money. Dating costs time. Dating costs emotional bandwidth. Sleep costs you…a missed text? If you’ve ever hit that point where you’re running on fumes, “sex or eight hours” sounds like an honest question. Sleep wins when your brain feels fried, and your body just wants some basic maintenance.
People love to blame Gen Z for everything, but this one has research going back years. Survey data have repeatedly found rising sexual inactivity among young men and a general decline in how often young adults have sex.
Social media deserves its own seat at the blame table. In her book Sextinction, sex researcher Debra Soh argues that modern digital life can warp expectations and replace in-person connection with endless scrolling, comparison, and fantasy matchmaking.
This isn’t saying Gen Z is prudish. The same EduBirdie results cited in the coverage include plenty of experimentation, public sex, and sexting-on-company-time behavior. They’re not swearing off pleasure. They’re triaging.
And honestly, if the choice is between a mediocre hookup and waking up rested enough to keep your job, your skin, and your last remaining shred of patience, so be it.
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