Today, as the attitudes and opinions are changing towards sex and aging. It comes as no surprise that older adults are active sexually and want to continue sharing their lives and be in a fulfilling relationship. However, owning up to the fact that aging is responsible for a lot of physical as well as mental changes in our bodies, it is very important that you work towards maintaining your sexual health as you age. Given below are some tips on how to maintain your sexual health.

 Stay active:

Staying active is the key to an satisfying sexual life. As you age, your hormone levels drop and your metabolism rates also drop causing weight gain.  You also lose bone and muscle mass with aging and this in turn could lead to numerous health issues concerning bones, muscles and joints. Your energy and stamina levels also decrease with age. This is where an active life helps. Staying active could mean exercising regularly, joining a masters swimming club, signing up for a local bike ride event, taking up aerobics sessions or yoga sessions and more. When you stay active and exercise, it not only helps you reduce and regulate your weight but it also reduces muscle and joint pain, strengthens the bones, and slows down the loss of muscle mass. It also improves your balance and mobility. As it has to be a regular activity it is very important that you choose something that you enjoy doing frequently.

For people who love to take a ride on their bike, Active.com organizes local bike rides. Swimming is also another activity that you can engage in as it offers a full body work out which has low impact especially for people who have weight limitations, arthritis and other issues. Brisk walks or working in the yard or washing and waxing your car also help. Whether it is a regularly scheduled exercise class that you enjoy participating in or it is increasing your daily activities that you prefer, remember it is never too late to start exercising.

Watch what you eat:

Leading an active lifestyle alone will not boost your sexual health if you do not complement it with a healthy diet. Cut back on food items that have a high content of cholesterol, trans-fats, saturated fats, added sugars and sodium. Be sure to include a lot of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and more. Remember to stay hydrated and drink a lot of water and other fluids. Whole grains, fruits, nuts, legumes, vegetables and seeds are a good source of vitamins and minerals and are high in fiber thus aiding your digestion process and keeping you healthy. They are also high on anti-oxidants which battle free radicals that cause cell damage in the body. Fish and olive oil should also be a part of your diet.  Fish is a good source of protein and has omega-3 fats, which reduces plaque buildup in your arteries. Olive oil is free of trans-fats and is heart healthy.

Reduce stress:

As you age you will also have to learn to reduce stress. Not only does stress increase the gastric acid it also triggers numerous digestive disorders and well as health issues. Take up a new hobby or practice meditation every day as it helps reduce stress. While exercising also focus on breathing techniques as well as other relaxation techniques as this helps reduce stress. Adequate amount of sleep is also important if you want to deal with stress. Take care not to overwork yourself with office responsibilities. Maintain a good work life balance as it helps regulate stress.

Sex is a healthy part of aging and it is a fact that the world is waking up to. However this was not a widely accepted belief just few years back. People all over the world believed that sex and aging could not go hand in hand due to the umpteen changes that take place in a person’s body while he or she ages. People believed that their body does not work well and since there is a decline in libido, sex matters less when people grow older.

However today, there are studies that prove that the attitude of seniors towards sex is changing and an increasing number of seniors actually enjoy a healthy sex life. Seniors also admit that sex is an important part of ageing and they are willingly working towards tackling all the issues of ageing in order to maintain a healthy sex life. The main reason for this changing attitude is the change in activity patterns, diet patterns as well as new medical treatments – these ensure that people in their seniors are relatively healthy and lead and active life.

There are studies that have shown that an individual’s sex drive does not diminish with age. In anything the entire experience becomes more satisfying as individuals enter their senior years. It is also believed that sex contributes to both the psychological as well as physical health of the elderly.

In case of men, they are at the peak of their sexual health when they are 18 and from there on they begin to experience a slow decline. By the time they are 40 and as they proceed to their 50’s and 60’s most men experience a decrease in sexual performance. However the pleasure that men derive from sex is not significantly affected as they age.

As far as women are concerned they are capable of sexual reproduction with the start of puberty, when they are 14 or 15 years old. As women age, with the diminishing hormones, the vaginal lubricants production decreases, the vaginal walls become rigid and thin thereby making sex uncomfortable. However women are capable of achieving an orgasm well into their senior years and women who are sexually active do not face any issues with vaginal lubrication up until menopause.  With menopause menstruation, ovulation as well as fertility ends and it has been believed that a woman’s interest in sex also wanes post menopause. However this belief does not hold true in recent years as there are reports of women enjoying sex post menopause as they do not have to worry about getting pregnant any more.

Apart from these physical changes, as individuals move into their senior years they also face issues with their body as well as their health. They become susceptible to diseases and they need to take extra care of what they eat and the kind of lifestyle they lead and more.

Given these changing attitudes of individuals towards sex and aging, more and more individuals work hard to maintain their sexual health as they get older. People no longer hesitate to follow a disciplined lifestyle and control their alcohol consumption, avoid smoking as well as manage stress in such a way that it does not affect their sexual health. There are a number of individuals who take up a new hobby or attending yoga classes to deal with daily stress. They also realize the importance of staying active and this is achieved by exercising regularly, drinking plenty of fluids and eating a healthy diet because not only does an active lifestyle helps in controlling fat, but it also causes feel good hormones to be released in the body which in turn contributes to better sex life.