Good sex is a huge quality of life issue which affects the quality of relationships, how people feel about themselves and even the divorce rate.
A new study published in the American Journal of Medicine has revealed that sex is likely to be more satisfying for women above 40 as the risk of pregnancy is out of the way being that they are above menopause age.
It also adds that as partners become older, more experienced and more trusting of each other, they may become less inhibited in their views of what constitutes satisfying sex.
It is believed that when couples approach middle years, their bodies, psychology, hormones, lifestyles and sexual responses may change gradually or subtly and could reduce or increase sex life.
The study claims that none of these changes interferes with a full sex life as women grow increasingly satisfied with their sex lives after they turn 40.
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“For women in such older age, sex may no longer be a risk-taking adventure because it becomes something that they do ‘now or never,’ hence, it seems only natural to try out new acts, positions and partners, if there is any reason to, and such couples are often forced to find new ways to give each other pleasure,” the study states.
A group of women aged between 40 and 100 with a median age of 67, were surveyed in the research carried out by Prof. Elizabeth Barrett-Connor, the chief of epidemiology division in the Department of Family and Preventative Medicine, University of California, San Diego, United States.
Half of the respondents said they were sexually active, and most of the women said they were able to become aroused, maintain lubrication and achieve orgasm during sex, even after the age of 80.
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It was further revealed that men and women in their 40s considered themselves emotionally and physically satisfied by their lovemaking, and not because they lasted longer in bed or have more energy to go for more rounds.
However, a consultant psychologist, Prof. Toba Elegbeleye has expressed his doubts about the findings of the study.
According to him, women would have lost certain things that should make sex enjoyable when they are close to or reach menopause, which would have also reduced their sexual urge.
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“When women attain menopause, production of oestrogen becomes far less, which would reduce their sexual urge, just as testosterone in men. However, we cannot remove the fact that some women, just like men, take to stimulants, which are drugs that can make them become sexually active after the bodily productions are getting reduced.
“If a woman at 40 has finished child bearing, which takes a lot away from her sexual urge, coupled with the menopausal effects, there is no level of dedication or commitment that would re-energise the urge to the level of that of a youngster because the more you age, the less energised you are for sex,” he explained.
He, however, advised against the use of stimulants which loses its effectiveness from too much use.