When you’re thinking about your health, sex may not seem like a major focus during middle age.
Performance issues can often plague the experience and workday stressors take a lot more energy out of you than they did during your 20s.
That doesn’t mean you need to give up your favorite bedtime activity, however.
Despite what many people believe, sex can actually improve with age, especially for women. A study referenced on Health found that women are more likely to enjoy sex in middle age because they’re more confident with their bodies and feel freer to experiment.
Men may have to worry about ED ruining the moment, but even they have been shown to be satisfied with their sex lives, up until their 90s according to The Telegraph.
Clearly, sex is not just for the young.
So what can be done to make your sex life during midlife more fulfilling?
Exercises
At any age, exercise is crucial for strengthening muscles and keeping our bodies in peak form. It can also be helpful in maintaining peak bedroom performance.
Weight-lifting
Need help between the thighs? Try working on the arms. Best Life recommends lifting weights, even small ones, two times a week.
Doing so will increase testosterone levels, which can likewise, increase sex drive.
But even if you don’t lift weights twice a week, do not give it up completely.
Best Life counts weightlifting as one of worst habits to neglect for people over 40 due to the loss of muscle mass known as sarcopenia. That’s why weight-lifting is key to keeping yourself healthy and sexually active as long as possible.
Kegel Exercises
Better sex requires help from all your muscles, not just the ones in your arms. In fact, squeezing your PC muscle, which runs from your pubic bone to your tailbone, can be a strong assistant in controlling your orgasm.
If you’re not in the mood for an entire workout, MindBodyGreen recommends doing a form of bathroom kegel exercise in which you stop the flow of urine before you have an empty bladder.
Your body will lift from the tight clench, benefiting your pelvic floor muscles.
Communication
Open communication is necessary for any relationship, whether that be romantic or non-romantic. Your partner and your doctor are two people that require direct, honest feedback from you about your sexual needs and dysfunctional issues.
Your Partner
You and your partner need to be on the same page when it comes to what you both enjoy in the bedroom. You’ve grown together and learned about each other’s personal preferences so it’s time to put that knowledge to good use.
This is one of the reasons sex gets better with age. Knowing and being able to give your partner exactly what they want can only come with time.
Not only that, having a comfort level with your partner encourages you to think outside of the box.
Try a little experimentation. Set up a dinner date or a lingerie night, or practice a new position. You and your partner have the potential to explore different avenues that can lead to higher satisfaction rates.
Yet, it’s important to speak honestly and listen attentively. You never know what you may come up with!
Your Doctor
We all know how embarrassing it is to talk to your doctor about your sex life. It can be emasculating and downright uncomfortable.
That doesn’t mean you should shy away from asking the serious questions regarding your sex life.
By having a consultation with your doctor, you can address any issues with pain or complications with medications. Be specific. Finding the source of the problem is only achievable through remaining observant and admitting the truth about what you’re experiencing.
Relinquish any fears you may have going in and, in the long run, it can benefit both you and your partner.
Benefits
By adjusting your workout routine and having a conversation with your partner and doctor regarding your individual needs, you’ll reap many rewards, in and out of the bedroom.
In fact, here are 10 advantages to having a meaningful sex life after 50:
1.) Improved Self Esteem
2.) Better Sleep
3.) Greater Life Satisfaction
4.) Higher Marital Satisfaction
5.) Fewer Symptoms of Depression
6.) Lowered Risk of Prostate Cancer
7.) Less Stress
8.) More Youthful Appearance
9.) Stronger Immune System
10.) Longer Life
If and when you decide to have sex during midlife, you are not setting yourself up for failure. You’re choosing a path that will ultimately improve your relationship with your partner, strengthen your body, and ease your mind.
So don’t give up on love; just keeping making it!
For even more tips on maintaining a healthy body and outlook on life in your 40s and 50s, check out Beachbody. We’re here to help!