Just because you’re ageing, doesn’t mean you’re happy to lose the intimacy and satisfaction from your sex life – there are ways to maintain an active sex life, in spite of some of the problems that we encounter as older people. Even as healthy people, ageing brings with it a number of physical changes in both men and women. Some of these developments in the body lead to alterations in our sex lives. While some women begin to feel more able to enjoy sex after the menopause, they may also be conscious that their appearance is also changing which may make them self-conscious in the bedroom. There may be other physical changes for women which make sex different for her as she ages, such as in her vagina – as women age, the vagina shortens and narrows. This leads to the walls becoming thinner and also stiffer, as well as the natural lubrication slowing down as well. This could lead to sex becoming a little painful or uncomfortable for a woman, which could affect her sexual pleasure. As such, she could be at risk of losing the new found confidence that she has gained through age.
For men, impotence becomes more common and the risks of developing it increase. This condition makes it difficult for a man to maintain an erection hard enough for sexual intercourse. By the age of 65, it’s thought that 15 to 25 percent of men struggle with this problem. This problem may occur in men who have heart disease, high blood pressure, or diabetes – this may be because of the condition themselves or because of the medications being taken to control them. Men may also find it more difficult to get an erection, which may not be as firm or large as it used to be when they were younger. There are other problems which affect our sex lives as we age, including other health problems – these may be anything from arthritis, chronic pain, or muscle problems. Your GP will be able to suggest ways of reducing the pain or side effects of these conditions, which can be helpful in building a more satisfying sex life again.
Safe sex is as important for older people as it is for teens and young people – sexually transmitted diseases can be spread at any age. In fact, unless you’ve been told by your doctor that you’re past menopause, which means not having a period for more than 12 months, you can even still get pregnant. If you’re sleeping with more than one sexual partner, or have recently started dating a new partner, you should be practicing safe sex and using a condom to protect against HIV and STDs. There are several ways you can ensure you maintain a healthy sex life with your partner – the first step towards this is to remember that sex doesn’t have to include intercourse. You should make sure that your partner is your key priority, and that you pay attention to each others desires and needs in the bedroom. Lastly, keep things exciting by trying new positions and maintaining the passion in your relationship. It’s vital that you don’t blame one another for any difficulties in your sex life – there are a number of reasons why your sex life may have changed from when you were younger, but there are ways to combat them. This is far more difficult if you aren’t working as a strong unit though, so you need to remain on each others side.
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