Despite what the media might have us believe, sexuality isn't just something enjoyed by young people. Many continue to have active sex lives later in life — and exciting ones at that, according to a study in the Journal of Sexual Research.
Researchers from the University of Minnesota and Stony Brook University analyzed data from 6,278 people collected between 1995 and 2013 for the Midlife in the United States study.
While the quality of people's sex lives did decline as they got older, this wasn't always the case. In fact, when other measures like their health and the quality of their relationships were equal, sex actually improved with age.
The study also found that as people got older, they grew less concerned with how often they were having sex and more concerned with the quality of the sex. People who underwent this transition were the most sexually satisfied.
"Aging may be associated with the acquisition of skills and strategies that can buffer age-related declines in [sexual quality of life], particularly in the context of a positive relationship," the authors concluded.
This isn't the first piece of evidence that we can continue to enjoy great sex throughout our lives. A recent University of Pittsburgh study found that many women ages 45-60 feel their sex lives have gotten better over time due to improved knowledge of their bodies and decreased inhibitions.
Since sex is great for our health, especially as we get older, the secrets to improving sex in old age are worth looking into, the authors write in The Conversation. And the main takeaway of this study — that it's about quality, not quantity — is one we can use at any point in our lives.
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