Aging-related problems likeerectile dysfunction (ED),vaginal dryness, orurinary incontinencecan affect sex.
It also discusses the various treatment options and ways to maintainor even jumpstartyour senior sex life.
In women, those figures drop to 34% and 14%, respectively.
andrewsd / Getty Images
This is sometimes referred to as “the partner gap.”
Reasons include a natural decline intestosteronelevels, heart disease, and prostate problems.
The inability to achieve or sustain anerectionor reachorgasmor ejaculation are common concerns.
While ED is more common in older men, aging itself does not cause the problem.
ED is related to conditions, sometimes several at once, that directly or indirectly interfere with erections.
An accurate diagnosis is needed to ensure the right treatment.
Lifestyle changes and counseling can also help.
For some men, hormonal therapy,penis pumps, andpenile implantsmay be recommended.
Among the treatment options, testosterone therapy may help restore libido.
These are typically due to menopause, when estrogen levels steeply decline.
Hormonal changes can lessen sexual desire and make it harder to become aroused.
Sexual organs also change as a person gets older.
A woman’s vagina will shorten and narrow.
The vaginal walls become thinner and less flexible, tearing more easily.
Vaginal lubrication decreases, making vaginal intercourse more painful.
It is a problem that is common among many older women.
A medication known as Addyi (flibanserin) is used to treat HSDD in women.
Vaginal Dryness
Vaginal dryness is uncomfortable and can make sex painful.
There are also plant-based products, like black cohosh, that have estrogen-like effects.
These should be used with caution in women who have had or are at risk of breast cancer.
Standard treatments for vaginal dryness can often help ease pain during sex.
This can cause pelvic pain and pressure, pain with sex, and urinary incontinence.
POP is often treated with pelvic floor physical therapy to strengthen the supporting muscles.
In some cases, surgery may be needed.
Other Health Concerns
Chronic medical conditions become more common as a person ages.
Many of these can interfere with an older person’s sex life.
Depending on the cause, doctors may recommend physical therapy to strengthen muscles and improve flexibility.
If the pain only occurs in certain sexual positions, let your partner know and try different positions.
Bolstering your bodies with pillows and cushions can also help.
Diabetes
In the United States, almost one-third of adults over 65 have diabetes.
Approximately half of these are undiagnosed.
Diabetes can cause sexual dysfunction in both men and women.
This can be due to circulation problems, medication side effects, or nerve damage.
It’s important for your doctor to know.
Heart disease is one of the leading causes of erectile dysfunction in men.
It can also cause women to have difficulty achieving orgasm due to the decreased blood flow to the genitals.
People with heart disease may also be nervous about sex due to fear of a heart attack.
While sexual activity is generally safe, talk to your health provider if you are concerned.
It may also improve a person’s self-image and sense of well-being while making sex easier to navigate.
Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is the loss of bladder control.
This becomes more common with age, especially in women.
Incontinence can be embarrassing and make sex awkward.
Women who experience stress incontinence may be afraid to orgasm.
Extra pressure on the abdomen during intercourse can also cause urinary leakage.
If you have incontinence, empty your bladder before sex.
Changing sexual positions can help prevent urinary leakage by avoiding the compression of the bladder.
Pelvic floor exercises can also help strengthen the muscles that aid with urine control.
Medications
Some medications used in older adults can cause sexual dysfunction in both men and women.
These issues can be just as difficultand sometimes even more difficultto overcome than physical ones.
However, too much alcohol can end up impairing sexual function.
In people with depression, neurotransmitterschemical messengers that send signals between the brain and bodyare out of balance.
This can affect sexual desire, arousal, and orgasm.
Ironically, medications used to treat depression can have the same effects.
Stress
Stress can be a contributing factor to sexual dysfunction.
Financial worries and health concerns are just some of the common stresses affecting older adults.
Relationship Issues
Lack of sexual intimacy is often related to relationship problems.
If you are and your partner are not connecting emotionally, it can lessen your desire to be intimate.
Moreover, closeness to ones partner has been shown to increase overall well-being.
Self-consciousness can spill over into the bedroom and affect a person’s confidence during sex.
A 2019 study among older women found that those who were self-conscious about their bodies reported less sexual satisfaction.
Self-acceptance is ultimately the key.
Being sexually active is associated with a lower risk of medical conditions and a longer life.
It’s also associated with a greater sense of happiness and overall well-being.
Communicate
Good sex begins with good communication.
Couples who have been together a long time often think they know what the other is thinking.
But no one is a mind reader.
Talk to your partner about any concerns you have.
Be open with your partner about these changes.
Communicating about sex can be challenging at any age, however.
If you and your partner struggle to talk about sex, consider seeing a sex therapist.
Redefine Sex
Sex, as you get older, may need to change.
But different can still be good, if not better.
With an empty nest and possibly retirement, theres more time and privacy to explore.
Foreplay on its own can be quite satisfying.
Be creative and willing to try new things.
Rethink Intimacy
Sex isn’t just physical.
Its an emotional expression of intimacy.
As you grow older, sexual intimacy changes.
What this means to you and your partner may need to be redefined.
Emotional intimacy can be expressed through non-sexual physical touch.
Examples of non-sexual physical touch include:
Another non-sexual way to build emotional intimacy is spending quality time together.
This is because sex has physical and emotional benefits.
Orgasms releaseoxytocin, a hormone that induces a state of calm and improves sleep.
This is especially true for women.
Having sex regularly helps increase natural lubrication and vaginal elasticity.
It may also improve erections in men.
Summary
Older age can lead to sexual problems in different ways.
These include stress, depression, negative self-image, relationship problems, and alcohol abuse.
University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation.Lets talk about sex.
National Institute on Aging.Sexuality in later life.
National Institute on Aging.Prostate problems.
Abdel-Hamid IA, Elsaied MA, Mostafa T.The drug treatment of delayed ejaculation.Transl Androl Urol.
2016;5(4):576-591. doi:10.21037/tau.2016.05.05
National Cancer Institute.Understanding prostate changes: a health guide for men.
Harvard Health Publishing.Yes, you could have better sex in midlife and in the years beyond.
2018;10:387-395. doi:10.2147/IJWH.S158913
Department of Health and Human Services: Office on Women’s Health.Pelvic organ prolapse.
Duralde ER, Rowen TS.Urinary incontinence and associated female sexual dysfunction.Sex Med Rev.
2020;12(10):e10813.
2015;17(1):e24685.
2019;14(9):e0221992.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0221992
Conaglen H, Conaglen J.Drug-induced sexual dysfunction in men and women.Aust Prescr.
2013;36(1):42-45. doi:10.18773/austprescr.2013.021
National Institute on Drug Abuse.Substance use in older adults DrugFacts.
2019;19(1):192. doi:10.1186/s12877-019-1203-2
National Institute of Aging.Depression and older adults.
2018;55(2):152-163. doi:10.1080/00224499.2016.1269308
