Busy schedules, full time jobs, child rearing -- it's no wonder that over time, your sex life can fizzle. CNN tells us that more than 40 million Americans are living in a "sexless marriage" -- defined as having sex fewer than 10 times per year, and that women in the 1950s had more time for sex then women do today. Some of the reasons that your sex drive may have gotten lost in the shuffle include:

• Technology in the bedroom
  
• Lack of time and too much stress
  
• Weight gain
• Partner's loss of libido
• Peri-menopause
  
• Depression
• Underlying disease, such as a thyroid disorder

While it may seem easier just to let this part of your life go, studies show that an active sex life leads to a long list of health benefits, including greater intimacy and the release of feel good endorphins that can fight off depression. Not only that, sex is exercise and an enjoyable way to burn off calories. If you can find your way over the hurdles listed above, sex can be an important part of a healthy lifestyle.