Talking sex at 65? Of course, yes. Many older couples have greater love lives than they did in their younger years.
Some of the reasons are that they have greater intimacy with their relationships, fewer distractions, no pregnancy concerns or experiences, and just more time for each other.
So, can a 65-year-old woman be sexually active? Yes. Older couples are sexually active and happy with their senior sex life. Although the frequency or capacity to act sexually may reduce with age due to physiological changes, it does not always affect how a person feels about sex.
Some Sexual Health Conditions that Can Affect Sex Life in a 65-year-Old Woman
1. Hormonal Changes
New difficulties can momentarily impair your love life in mid-life. Sex hormones drop significantly. For women, menopause causes a drop in estrogen and androgen levels and the vaginal walls become thinner and drier.
2. Vaginal Changes
The most common sexual difficulties for women include difficulty achieving orgasm, a lack of desire, and vaginal dryness. The vagina shrinks and narrows with age. It no longer moistens itself as easily as it formerly did. This can cause pain during intercourse.
Lubed condoms, water-based lubricating jelly, and vaginal moisturizers may do the work. Your doctor may also prescribe vaginal estrogen, which is available as a cream, pill, tablet, or insert.
3. Diabetes
Diabetes can cause women to lose feeling in their genitals. It also leads to an increase in vaginal yeast infections, which can irritate the area and make intercourse difficult or unpleasant. But they are easily addressed.
4. Heart Disease
Heart disease causes the arteries to constrict and harden, which reduces the flow of blood. You may find it difficult to become aroused or have orgasms.
Plus, no one wants to experience a heart attack during sex. However, once it has been cured, your doctor will most likely give you the go-ahead.
5. Other Challenges
Some other physical illnesses that might have an impact on a 65-year-old woman’s sexual life include arthritis, weight gain, chronic pain, bladder control issues, high blood pressure or cholesterol, dementia, depression, surgery in the sexual areas, medication side effects, and stroke.
How to Overcome These Challenges
1. Speak with Your Doctor
The best is to discuss the matter with your doctor, no matter how difficult it may seem. They may be more likely to bring it up when it is relevant to other conditions.
It can be beneficial to ask for a sex counselor. Also, ask if any of your medications create sexual problems and if it is beneficial to take estrogen.
2. Sex Therapy
If your doctor is unhelpful, consult a sex therapist or another qualified counselor. They will discuss your problems with you and assist you in developing solutions to match your needs as a couple.
Perhaps the remedy is more foreplay or direct stimulation. If a disease like arthritis makes it difficult to enjoy sex, they might recommend alternative positions that are more pleasant and satisfying for both of you.
3. Get Creative
Creativity might inspire fresh ways of having sex. For example, if a flat surface does not suit your knees, a different position or specific furniture can provide another option.
If you have trouble getting aroused, a vibrator might help get the blood flowing. It’s natural to worry about getting back to sex after being idle for a while. However, simply having sex might help you relax and allow desire to take the lead.
Painful Intercourse
Many women following menopause may experience pain during intercourse as well as a drop in libido. The most prevalent cause of pain can be handled with the vagina’s natural lubrication and moisture.
Estrogen helps to keep the vagina lubricated, but as estrogen levels decrease after menopause, many women feel vaginal dryness.
Many women are understandably afraid to try hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Hormone replacement therapy is linked to an increased risk of blood clots.
Blood clots can raise the risk of heart attack, stroke, deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism, all of which are potentially fatal.
Fortunately, vaginal estrogen therapy, also known as topical estrogen, does not have the same hazards and may benefit women who experience vaginal pain or dryness.
There has been no increase in breast cancer cases associated with topical estrogen usage. Women who are 65 years old can stay sexually active by using vaginal estrogen therapy for any amount of time they want, whether it’s six months, a year, two years, or more.
They can start and stop whenever they want with no medical hazards, but symptoms of vaginal dryness will most likely reappear soon after the medication is discontinued.
Patients are to give it at least 6–8 weeks. Some women see improvements after a few weeks, while others require more time to reap the benefits.
Other reasons why women may suffer discomfort during intercourse are:
It is fairly usual to experience pain if you have not been sexually active in a while. A lack of sexual activity can cause the vagina to narrow and shorten, especially after menopause.
If you are not sexually active for an extended period, consider using another type of penetration to keep the vagina’s width and length intact.
Why do Older Women Lose their Libidos?
1. Hormonal Changes
Menopause-related hormonal changes can cause a loss of sexual desire, or libido. In many cases, women’s decreased libido is linked to the pain they experience as a result of vaginal dryness.
It is difficult to have a strong libido while you are in pain because if you anticipate agony every time you have sex, it is logical that you will not want to have sex or be intimate. However, after the pain is resolved, the libido usually improves as well.
2. Health Concerns
Also, some women have decreased libido due to other health concerns, such as heart disease or diabetes. These disorders impact the blood vessels and nerves, which are involved in getting aroused and having orgasms.
In many women, depression leads to reduced libido. Other women have decreased libido as a side effect of a drug they may be taking. Women’s libido levels might also drop due to relationship issues with their partners.
Emotional connection is another significant aspect that influences a woman’s libido. Having an erectile dysfunction partner or the absence of a marital or intimate partner can have a substantial impact on a woman’s libido.
Women’s libido might also suffer when their health deteriorates with age. Women with cardiac difficulties, for example, have less blood circulation to their genital organs, especially the vagina, resulting in a lack of lubrication and excitement.
Furthermore, several medications used to address health disorders such as high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, and incontinence might diminish women’s sexual desire.
According to a recent study, poor mental and physical health, a lack of communication with the partner, and an absence of emotional connection can all have a negative impact on libido in women.
How to Get Your Libido Back
The good news is that there are effective ways available to restore libido. Some ways that can help women improve their sexual desire include:
- Use lubricants, moisturizers, or low-dose vaginal estrogen to solve dryness. Hormonal therapy for decreased libido.
- Sexual therapy/counseling
- Use of medicines to improve sexual desire
- Modifying one’s lifestyle can help women boost their libido.
- Regular exercise can boost sexual activity by increasing blood flow and promoting heart health.
- Quitting smoking can also improve blood flow to the genital organs and delay the onset of menopause.
- Avoiding or restricting alcohol use can help improve sexual reflexes, reduce heat flashes, and improve sleep quality.
- Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet can help with health issues, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
- It is also crucial to maintain a healthy weight and have a favorable attitude on body image.
- Yoga and meditation can promote physical and mental calm, which is beneficial to sexual function.
Benefits of Sex Even at Age 65
The benefits of sex are numerous and they include:
- It strengthens your immune system
- Burns calories
- Lowers blood pressure
- It helps you relax
- It relieves pain
- It keeps your mind bright and may reduce your chance of heart attack
- It keeps you and your partner closer
- It might help you live longer and of course, it makes you happy.
FAQs
Is sex still enjoyable at the age of 65?
Contrary to popular belief, sex is not limited to young people. Many elderly women continue to enjoy their sexuality into their 60s and beyond.
How can you improve sex drive in a 60-year-old woman?
Some of the ways to improve sex drive include:
- Exercise and reduce stress
- Talk to your partner
- Schedule time for intimacy
- Add some spice to your sex life
- Use vaginal lubricants and moisturizers
- Be aware of your habits
How much sex should you have at 65?
By the age of 65, most adults have intercourse about 20 times a year, or fewer than once every 2 weeks. However, it depends on the partners involved.
Conclusion
Can a 65-year-old woman be sexually active? Definitely. Although medical, lifestyle, and emotional factors can affect sexual performance at any age, it can be very severe in people 65 and older.
However, working with a doctor or therapist can help you overcome many of these worries and enhance not only your overall quality of life but also your sexual health at an older age.
