In the midst of doing some research the other day…

I happened upon the website TheMarriageBed.com (a site for Christian couples) and on it, there was a feature entitled “Solo Masturbation in Marriage“. Here is some of the data that they provided on the subject matter:

84% of the men that they surveyed said that they masturbated within the last three months. More specifically:

About one in six is masturbating no more than once a month. Based on the notes, a lot of this is men who only masturbate when they are away from their wife.

Half of the men are masturbating every 5 to 15 days; this is a moderate amount. As above, some of this is due to temporarily being away from their wife. Many men masturbate as often as they would be having sex if they were with their wife.

One man in six is masturbating every 2 to 4 days; this is what is normal for a young single man with no other sexual outlet.

Ten percent of the men are doing it between 3½ to 5 times a week. This is fairly high, and this level of masturbation is often (but not always) driven by porn use.

One man in 20 is masturbating six or seven times a week. This may be a habit left from before marriage.

One man in forty is masturbating more than daily. This could be anything from eight times a week to several times a day. (See our article on Chronic Masturbation).

Only thirteen percent of wives are aware of how often their husband is doing it himself. This includes a good many who said their wife suggested or encouraged it when the couple was apart, or during a period of time when she was unable to meet his sexual needs.

About half of the wives are aware their man masturbates, but think it happens less often than it does.

Based on the husband’s estimation, four in ten wives are fairly to completely clueless about his masturbation.

49% of the men said they did it because they have a higher sex drive than their wives.

42% did it to relieve stress.

34% said it was because their wives say no often.

65% of the women that they surveyed said that they masturbated in the past three months. More specifically:

One third do it once a month or less.

One third do it a few times a month, but less than once a week.

Eighteen percent masturbate once or twice a week, on average.

Eleven percent are in the every 2 to 4 days range.

Only 4% are doing it more than every other day.

Eighteen percent of husbands know how often their wife masturbates.

Forty five percent of husbands are aware she masturbates, but think it happens less often than it does.

Based on the wife’s estimation, almost four in ten men do not know how often their wife self-pleasures.

33% of the women said that they do it to relieve stress.

31% said that their husbands leave them sexually dissatisfied.

26% said that it helps them to sleep.

Now, I’ve never been married and so I make it no secret that I don’t even think I’ve had *real sex* yet (sex within God’s will and his blessing on it), but the “counterfeit kind” was still always *far more satisfying* than masturbating. When I masturbated, I always likened it to eating a cracker while fasting. It’s just irritating.

But again, I’m single.

I’m pretty sure that this particular poll reflects a lot of marriage beds, but since husbands and wives have been given *full rights* (Hebrews 13:4, I Corinthians 7) to partake of the “full course meal”, what are you guys’ take on why so many married people are getting it on…*with themselves*? Also, do you  (really) think people are thinking about their partners when they do it?

Sound off…