Oftentimes individuals are not aware of the natural sexual changes that the body goes through as it ages. Some individuals view this as lack of sexual desire or a newly developed sexual
dysfunction.
For men the function of the penis changes from adolescents until a man
is in his later years. A man in his twenties, gets erections from any type of stimulation. He can get an erection
when the “wind blows”, as the old saying goes. The power and speed of
his ejaculation can literally send his semen across the room, or for
some guys on the ceiling.
As men age mental stimulation and direct penile stimulation are
necessary in helping to maintain an erection, and sexual interest with
their partner,
“Variety is the spice of life.”
Some
men begin to think that there is something wrong with them sexually because what
used to turn them on or how they achieved an erection does not
work the same way for them anymore. They start to think that they have a sexual problem, when in reality it is quite normal. With other men that may
have gotten a divorce and begin to date again, and have some
problems getting an erection, maintaining an erection or even having an
orgasm, this is also very normal. Talking to a
professional clinical sexologist can help him understand and educate him on how to control the anxiety that cuts
off the blood flow to the penis and function sexually again in the new
dating world.
For women as they age their bodies, mind, and hormones change as well.
Some women in their twenties and thirties who took birth control pills
for a long period of time, it can affect their desire later on, creating an
imbalance in progesterone, estrogen and testosterone. If this happens a
woman may want to get her hormones regulated by asking her doctor for a
saliva test to see the levels. As women age many become more comfortable
with their bodies, but may still feel uncomfortable talking about sex
with their partner. Childbirth, hormones, stress, and unsatisfying sex
over an extended period of time can greatly affect a women’s enjoyment
of sex and her level of desire.
A woman that spends years in a relationship without having orgasms or
enjoying sex, it can cause physical problems later on: Such as chronic
bladder infections, pain during intercourse or a negative feeling
towards sex.
On one end of the spectrum as women age and approaches their
40’s if sex is viewed as positive, and enjoyable then it can be a
freeing experience for many women. Women in their 40’s that are
divorced, meeting younger men are now having some of the best sex of their
lives. For women mental stimulation at any age is important, as well as
feeling safe with a partner and good about themselves. Women’s minds are
constantly stimulated by daily stress so it takes women a longer time to calm
down and focus on the sexual experience, before she can get aroused. Increased foreplay and
positive mental stimulation is necessary for a woman to enjoy sex as she
ages. Women fall into the same rut of boredom surrounding sex just as men
do.
For both men and women understanding how the body and mind ages
sexually is extremely important in a relationship, and for many
married couples it can be one of the reasons why they are no longer being intimate with each other.
If you have a personal question for Dr. Dawn Michael you can visit her website www.thehappyspouse.com
Read more:
http://www.examiner.com/article/how-the-body-and-mind-ages-sexually-both-men-and-woman?cid=db_articles#ixzz35xatxKiO
