lTo sex life in adults 40 years of age and older, this is an important and often underestimated problem. As people get older, they sexuality may change due to one or more factors such as disease or social prejudices, but this does not mean that they disappear or become sexless creatures – that person who does not experience sexual attraction to another – which is marked by gender stereotypes, especially in women. Although there is a downward trend, experts point out that from this age the most important thing is quality, not quantity and, above all, maintain sexual health.
“The body begins to fail, and this reduces desire. Therefore, we attribute this to the fact that the body naturally should stop having sex, because it ages with age, but this is not the case, ”explains Dr. Denis Gutierrez Welsh, a specialist in regenerative and functional medicine, in an interview with the publication Spanish news week. “Those people who support it have freer and much more pleasurable sexuality“.
According to the eleventh edition of the Control Barometer, Spaniards and Sex, a comprehensive study of the sexual habits of this population, one in three people over 41 admitted to reducing their sexual activity due to changes associated with age and aging.
Meanwhile, a BBC article reports that in the United Kingdom, the lack sexual desire in men, it is highest at the age of 35 to 44 years, and in women – at the age of 55 to 64 years.
CAUSES OF LOSS OF SEXUAL DESIRE
Among the main reasons for the loss of sexual appetite are physical and mental health, poor communication, taboo and lack of emotional connection. According to experts, certain diseases, disabilities, medications, and surgeries can affect the ability to have and enjoy sexual intercourse.
“Women can experience vaginal infections that lead to burning, pain on penetration, and sometimes it can be associated with candidiasis, which is favored by diabetes, a disease that also affects the circulatory system in both men and women,” says .
However, there are also normal physical changes. For example, a woman may notice changes in her vagina; with age, this fibromuscular duct may shorten and narrow.
In addition, the walls of the vagina may become thinner and slightly stiffer. For this reason, most of them may have less lubrication resulting in less desirable penetrations.
“If vaginal dryness is a problem, using a water-based lubricant or lubricated condoms can remedy the situation. Also, another problem in women, especially at this age (40 years and older), is related to the thyroid gland and ovaries: they begin to fail, which leads to symptoms such as anxiety and depression, ”he notes.
Men are more likely to experience impotence, also called erectile dysfunction or ED. This can cause a man to take longer to achieve an erection. However, ED is not a problem if it occurs occasionally, but if it occurs frequently, it is best to consult a doctor.
TAKE CARE OF STDs
While in the collective imagination the concern for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) may be obvious, Dr. Irma Aburto, academician at the Faculty of Advanced Studies (FES) Zaragoza, explains that some adults believe that age protects against STDs.
However, any sexually active person is at risk of contracting diseases such as syphilis, gonorrhea, genital warts, trichomoniasis, and others.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), every day more than a million people are infected with sexually transmitted infections; most cases are asymptomatic.
It is estimated that more than 500 million people (aged 15 to 50) are infected with the genital herpes simplex virus (HSV). The figures show that in this age range there are: 156 million new cases of trichomoniasis, 127 million cases of chlamydia, 87 million cases of gonorrhea and 6.3 million cases of syphilis.
KEEP SEXUAL HEALTH AT ANY AGE
As part of World Sexual Health Day, celebrated annually on September 4 since 2010 by the World Association for Sexual Health (AMSS), Aburto recommends regular exercise to maintain good health. get the hours you need (according to the Mayo Clinic, an average of seven hours), eat a balanced diet, cut down on alcohol and cigarettes, and have routine checkups, risk-free activities, and intimate hygiene.
“Women leave sexual health in the background. Sometimes they focus more on raising children or at home. In addition, it is important that sexuality is focused not only on the sexual act, but on everything that happens around him. We must be self-confident, express our emotions, despite our age. No one should feel guilty or afraid to show their sexuality,” he concludes. No.