The truth about sex after 50/Why making love may help to fight dementia
The truth about sex after 50
From Reader’s Digest
Judging from the images the popular media puts forth, you’d think sex was only for twenty somethings. Nothing is further from the truth. Sex at midlife and beyond is a subject mired in confusion and misinformation. Here are some common myths, and the straight story about sex after 50.
Fiction: Beyond a certain age, people have little interest in sex.
Fact: There is no age limit on sexuality, but for people age 50 and over, sexual satisfaction depends more on the overall quality of the relationship than it does for younger couples. A National Council on Aging survey reports that among people age 60 and over who have regular intercourse, 74 percent of the men and 70 percent of the women find their sex lives more satisfying than when they were in their forties.
Fiction: As a man ages, he loses his ability to get an erection.
Fact: Aging itself is not a cause of erectile dysfunction. However, diminishing hormone levels do precipitate some changes. A man may need more physical stimulation to become aroused, and his erection may not be quite as firm as when he was younger—but sex is no less pleasurable. While a 25-year-old man might be able to get a second erection as quickly as fifteen minutes after an ejaculation, a 50-year-old man might need several hours.
Fiction: Emotional and psychological factors are responsible for a woman’s lack of interest in sex at midlife and beyond.
Fact: Physical factors can play an even larger role. Hormonal changes at menopause can affect a woman’s sexual response. Low estrogen levels can result in vaginal dryness, causing discomfort during sex. And in some women, lower testosterone levels can mean a lack of energy and a weaker sex drive. Other women find their interest in sex increases after menopause, due, in part, to a shift in the ratio of testosterone to estrogen and progesterone.
Fiction: A woman loses her ability to have orgasms as she ages.
Fact: Many women find increased sexual pleasure after menopause, including more frequent or more intense orgasms.
Fiction: Masturbation diminishes your ability to enjoy sex with a partner.
Fact: Masturbation can increase sexual pleasure, both with and without a partner. For women, it helps keep vaginal tissues moist and elastic and boosts hormone levels, which fuels sex drive. For men, it helps maintain erectile response.
Fiction: A man’s inability to get an erection is most likely the result of an emotional problem.
Fact: Actually, physical causes—such as circulation problems, prostate disorders, and side effects associated with prescription medications—account for 85 percent of erectile difficulties.
PLUS: Surprising Statistics about Love, Sex, and More »
Fiction: Couples at midlife and beyond who don’t have regular sex have lost interest in sex or in each other.
Fact: When older couples don’t have regular sex, it’s usually because one partner has an illness or disability.
Of course, it’s true that sex isn’t going to stay exactly the same as you age. But the changes that take place aren’t all negative. Once a woman is past menopause and no longer concerned about pregnancy, many couples find it easier to relax and look forward to lovemaking. And partners who are retired or working only part time often have more time and energy for each other, for making love as well as pursuing other shared activities.
By midlife, you know your own body and your partner’s intimately, and, hopefully, you’ve figured out how to communicate what you find pleasurable. It’s likely that you’ve shed any sexual inhibitions, and your sexual confidence and experience probably result in better sex for both of you. Just as important, sex may be more emotionally fulfilling because now it is driven less by hormones and more by the desire to share yourself with someone who loves you. Sex after age 65 may take place less often, but many find it becomes more gratifying than ever.
IMAGE: Concepts/iStock
For more on this story go to: http://www.rd.com/advice/relationships/the-truth-about-sex-after-50/
From Daily Mail UK
- Tests on older men revealed that those still active in the bedroom are better able to recall lists
- More than 6,800 people from across England aged between 50 and 89 were quizzed on their sex lives
- Research was conducted by Coventry University
Researchers from Coventry University discovered that over-50s still active in the bedroom have sharper cognitive function.
Tests on older men and women revealed that those who enjoy intimacy are better able to recall lists and recognise patterns, both of which are signs of a healthy brain.
More than 6,800 people from across England aged between 50 and 89 were quizzed on their sex lives and then set mental tests.
They were played a list of ten words and then asked to recount them straight afterwards and again following a five-minute delay.
The participants were also given a sequence of numbers with one missing and handed the task of completing the pattern.
Men who were sexually active scored higher by 23 per cent on the word tests and 3 per cent on the number puzzles, while women profited too by margins of 14 per cent and 2 per cent.
Stronger performance persisted even when factors such as age, wealth and physical activity were taken into consideration.
The study – published in the journal Age And Ageing – suggests the results could be due to the release during sex of hormones such as dopamine and oxytocin, which are linked to feelings of reward, so promoting memory and learning.
Psychosexual counsellor Pauline Brown said: ‘Any part of the body needs to be exercised to keep in good shape and because sex triggers so many changes in the brain it will inevitably help keep it agile and capable.
It states: ‘The findings have implications for the promotion of sexual counselling in healthcare settings, where maintaining a healthy sex life in older age could be instrumental in improving cognitive function and well-being.’
‘There can be physical barriers caused by ageing, but these results show just how important it is for couples to keep this part of their relationship strong and healthy.
‘Sex is a key part of what it means to be human, whether as a young adult or someone of advancing years.
‘And it makes people feel good so it encourages them to be more positive about life and more likely to eat well and pursue other healthy activities like pilates or line-dancing.’
Paul Green, communications director for over-50s lifestyle company Saga, added: ‘This highlights the importance of maintaining a physical relationship as long as possible, proving that sex is good for the mind as well as the body and soul.
‘Just because society doesn’t expect older people to have full and active sex lives, it doesn’t mean this isn’t the case.
‘Our own research shows that people do indeed enjoy regular sex until they are well into their seventies, it’s just that they are more discreet and don’t feel the need to broadcast it.’
Alzheimer’s Society research manager Dr Clare Walton said: ‘We know that older adults who keep their minds and bodies active have a reduced risk of dementia.
‘In the run up to Valentine’s day, this timely study suggests there might be a link between sexual activity and better memory performance.
‘As more and more people are living longer, finding ways to maintain good cognitive function into our later years is an important area of ongoing research.’
There are around 850,000 people in the UK with dementia and numbers are expected to rise to a million over the next decade.
In 2013, Stirling University scientists unveiled a top ten of things to do to reduce the risk of falling foul of the condition.
It included dancing, taking supplements such as fish oils and vitamins B6 and E and drinking green tea and even the odd glass of red wine.
