Rumor has it that sex—for both women and men—goes downhill after age 50. For women, menopause supposedly ruins everything. For men, conventional wisdom suggests there's no magic without medication.

Nonsense! Those rumors are flat out wrong. Here five good reasons why sex is better with aging:

1. Men and women over 50 are having plenty of sex and enjoying it

A recent study published in the American Journal of Medicine based on research of 921 women over age 40 (median age: 67) reported that half were sexually active, with arousal, lubrication, and orgasm maintained into old age. One third reported low-libido, but overall, most participants reported high levels of sexual satisfaction that increased as they got older. A study published in the journal BJU International states that men over 50 are more satisfied with their sex lives than they were at 30.

2. No more fear of pregnancy

Once you're past 50, the majority of adults aren't thinking about avoiding getting pregnant. When you remove reproductive worries, sexual activity becomes all about entertainment, romance, intimacy, and fun.

3. Fewer interruptions

Unlike sex in your 30s and 40s, when toddlers, grade-schoolers, or teenagers could burst in on you at any moment—or worse interrupt the action by waking up crying in the night—adults over 50 very often have their homes to themselves. So, be as loud as you want and enjoy the freedom of a sex life without kid-related complications!

4. Less stress about performance

As long as adults aren't dealing with severe physical disabilities, most aren't as worried about their appearance or performance as they were in their younger, more sexually insecure years. The beauty of getting older is knowing what you like, what you don't, what to expect from your partner, and how to take care of your own business if that's what you prefer.

5. Common problems, like vaginal dryness or erectile dysfunction, have solutions

Lubricants, medications, hormone replacement therapy, and a wide array of sex toys can go a long way to rev-up a sagging libido. There's less stigma attached to sex than there was in earlier generations and more assistance available to enjoy a healthy, active sex life for as long as you want one.

Heather Weldon, MD, OB/GYN, reviewed this article. 


 

Sources:

American Journal of Medicine, Volume 125, Issue 1, Page 37-43.e1, January 2012. "Sexual Activity and Satisfaction in Healthy Community-Dwelling Older Women"
http://www.amjmed.com/article/PIIS0002934311006553/fulltext

BJU International. Volume 97, Issue 2, pages 316-323, February 2006. "Assessment of Male Sexual Function by the Brief Sexual Function Inventory". Arnstein Mykletun, Alv A Dahl, Michael P. O'Leary, Sophie D. Fossa
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1464-410X.2005.05904.x/abstract