Men often joke with their married guy-friends about 'not getting any' now that they're hitched. Bachelor parties are all about a 'last night of freedom' before the poor guy is caged for life. But is there any truth to this? Does marriage really put an end to an exciting sex life and great intimacy?

In my practice, I have seen relationships that improve after marriage, and relationships that crumble once the rings are on their fingers.

Although a piece of paper shouldn't make any difference to the quality of your relationship, getting married does change the role of partners. You're no longer 'boyfriend and girlfriend' you're 'husband and wife'. Marriage comes with more responsibility, but it also comes with a lot more security.

It is the changing roles that affect each person differently. Some are overwhelmed with the added responsibility – which will lower their sex drive. Others feel very safe and secure in a marriage, and fall in love with their role as 'wife or husband'. There is a high correlation between satisfaction with your relationship and frequency of sex.

It is also natural for couples to go through 'ups and downs' in their sex lives. Work, kids and stress will affect your libido and aging will also impact your sex life. According to research, half of couples between 65-75 years old still engage in sex, but less than a quarter of couples over 75 are still sexually active.

Couples usually start seeing a positive change in their sex lives when they reach their late 30’s and early 40’s. It is at this stage that women start to reach their sexual peak, and lifestyles become more stable and predictable. It is this combination of stability and greater sexual awareness that allows women to and their partners to take their sexual relationship to a deeper, more exciting level.

Statistics show that no matter how often married couples have sex, they are still 'getting more' than unmarried individuals. A study published by the Kinsey Institute reported that 32% of non-married women did not have sex in the past year as opposed to only 3% of married women. The same study showed that 13% of married couples reported having sex a few times per year, 45% reported a few times per month, 34% reported 2-3 times per week, and 7% reported four or more times per week.

So if you’re married and you want to add some spice to a dwindling sex life, here are a few tips:

Build up to the sexual experience by bringing back the romance - candlelight dinners, bubble baths, love notes on the pillows. Try different positions, role-play and fantasies.

If you're practicing safe sex, then there are numerous health benefits to being sexually active. Sex and intimacy with a loving partner boosts self confidence and satisfaction in the relationship. Reaching orgasm also releases hormones which reduce stress. Regular sex has the same health benefits as physical exercise – strengthening the heart, lowering blood pressure and cholesterol and improving general fitness.