How Music, Gaming, and Phones Are Changing Canadian Men's Sex Lives

Screens and devices have a way of following us everywhere. Between background music, a show left running, a buzzing phone, and the dopamine pull of games, many men are bringing screens into the bedroom. MedExpress surveyed more than 1,000 Canadian men about their screen habits before and during intimacy to find out how these behaviours are affecting arousal, performance, and presence.

Key takeaways

• More than 4 in 5 Canadian men (83%) have used a device or screen during sex.
• Men who have used their phone during sex are more likely to report performance anxiety than those who have not (58% vs. 45%).
• Nearly 1 in 2 Canadian men (44%) have pretended to be more present during sex than they actually were.
• iPhone users are more likely than Android users to have checked their phone during sex (15% vs. 10%).
• PlayStation users are more than twice as likely as PC gamers to have scrolled their phone during sex (22% vs. 10%).
• More than 2 in 5 Canadian men (42%) say they need more stimulation than they used to in order to get aroused.

How tech follows Canadian men into the bedroom

Screens are already in the room

• 83% of Canadian men have used a device or screen during sex, from background music to checking their phone.
• The most common habits during sex are playing music (55%), having a TV or show on (35%), playing adult content (26%), and taking a photo or video (26%).
• 15% have answered a phone call, 15% have stopped because of a notification, and 12% have checked their phone.

Who reaches for the phone

• Among the 14% who have scrolled during sex, 42% say it happens sometimes and 5% regularly.
• Gen Z men (18%) are the most likely of any generation to have checked their phone during sex. After Gen Z, phone-checking drops to 13% among millennials and just 2% among both Gen X and baby boomers.
• Over 1 in 4 Gen Z men (27%) have taken a photo or video during sex.

Present in body, absent in mind

• Nearly 1 in 2 Canadian men (44%) have pretended to be more present during sex than they actually were while distracted, with 1 in 4 (25%) having done so more than once.
• Men who scroll during sex are far more likely to fake being present (77% vs. 38%).

When screens get between men and arousal

The performance toll

• More than 1 in 2 Canadian men (51%) have felt anxious or under pressure about their sexual performance.
• Men who use their phone during sex are more likely to report performance anxiety than those who haven't (58% vs. 45%), and more likely to feel mentally checked out during sex (42% vs. 21%).
• Performance anxiety stays high across every generation, reported by 51% of Gen Z men, 49% of millennials, 56% of Gen X men, and 50% of baby boomers.

The stimulation creep

• More than 2 in 5 men (42%) say they need more stimulation than they used to in order to get aroused.
• 46% say notifications have made them feel less aroused, 37% say a screen right before sex makes it harder to stay present, and 27% say fast-paced digital content makes it harder to get in the mood.
• 29% say their tech habits have had a negative effect on their sex life.

Content habits and arousal

• Men who watch porn before sex are more likely to say they need more stimulation than they used to (59% vs. 38%).
• Men who keep porn playing during sex are more likely to report difficulty getting or maintaining an erection (54% vs. 30%).

The device and gaming divide

• iPhone users are more likely than Android users to check their phone during sex (15% vs. 10%) and to say their tech habits negatively affect their sex life (32% vs. 26%).
• PlayStation users are more than twice as likely as PC gamers to scroll on their phone during sex (22% vs. 10%).
• Console gamers are more likely than PC gamers to say they need more stimulation than they used to in order to get aroused (45% vs. 37%).

The age factor

• Difficulty getting or maintaining an erection rises steadily with age, from 26% of Gen Z men to 38% of millennials, 47% of Gen X men, and 50% of baby boomers.

Why the brain keeps raising the volume

The pattern across this data points to something happening in the brain, not just the bedroom. The constant stream of fast, novel, high-reward stimulation that games, notifications, and short-form content deliver can recalibrate how the brain's reward system responds, which may help explain why so many men report needing more stimulation than they used to in order to feel aroused.

"The brain adapts to whatever it's exposed to most. When men spend hours a day immersed in fast, intensely stimulating digital content, the reward system starts to treat that level of input as the new baseline. Real intimacy is slower and quieter by comparison, so it can start to feel underwhelming, not because anything is wrong, but because the bar for arousal has been pushed higher.

At the same time, the habit of staying mentally 'on call' for notifications keeps the body in a low-grade stress state. Put those together, and you have a recipe for distraction, performance anxiety, and difficulty staying present, which is exactly what this data shows. The encouraging part is that the brain adapts in both directions. Reducing that constant stimulation, and being intentional about keeping screens out of intimate moments, can help the reward system and stress response find a healthier balance over time."

- Dr. Ashley White, MD MPH CCFP-EM DipABOM, Medical Lead at MedExpress Canada

Methodology

MedExpress commissioned an online survey of 1,032 Canadian men in 2026 to explore attitudes, behaviours, and personal experiences related to how everyday entertainment and technology habits, including music, video, social content, and gaming, affect intimacy, arousal, and sexual performance. Respondents were screened for valid and unique participation. Generationally, respondents were 47% millennials, 31% Gen Z, 16% Gen X, and 5% baby boomers. Average figures for numeric questions exclude statistical outliers.

Fair use statement

The data and findings in this article may be used for noncommercial purposes only. If reproduced or referenced, please include a link back to this page with proper attribution to MedExpress.