Older people can still be sexual, and recent studies have shown that engaging in sexual activity can be the best way to boost their wellness and wellbeing. One study in particular has shown that older married couples who have sex on a regular basis are more likely to be happy (both with their lives and with each other) than those who have sex infrequently or not at all.
Carried out at the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in Tallahassee, the research has revealed the importance of sexuality for those aged 65 or older. Highlighting the importance of the link between happiness and sex will help wellness organisations to help the older generations enjoy and explore their sexuality.
This research is based on a large group study, carried out in the last couple of years. In the study, it was found that sexual activity was directly linked to marital happiness and general happiness. Only 40 percent of those who had not had sex in the past 12 months said that they were ‘very happy’ with life, whilst of those who had sex once or more per month, around 60 percent said that they were very happy.
Likewise, 59 percent of those who had had no sex in the year prior to the study said that they were happy in their marriage as opposed to around 80 percent of those who were having sex frequently. For the purposes of the study, sex referred to any kind of sexual contact such as oral, anal or vaginal, and the results were only looked at after making adjustments for other influencing ‘happiness factors such as gender, age, health and finances.
Of course, the study could be correlational, and it could mean that older couples who have more sex are happier, or happier older couples have more sex!