As humans age, the body is not the same. With each passing day, the body experiences natural changes which may alter not just physical and emotional health, but sexual health as well.
According to the American Sexual Health Association, sexual health is the ability to embrace and enjoy our sexuality throughout our lives.
A Facebook user, Uzo Azubuike, commenting on a post made by a popular group said after he clocked 50, he noticed that his sex drive dropped.
For him, the urge to get intimate and to get his manhood to become active dwindled, causing him to run into some ‘hitches’ with his partner.
“I am married to a younger woman, who is still very much sexually active. Her hormones are everywhere but I noticed that after I turned 50, I just could not get my manhood to stay active for long.
“After a while, it is either I am too tired, or just do not have the urge at all to continue. It has given me so much cause for concern,” he lamented.
He added that he got married to the younger lady after the death of his wife in 2015 and was lonely for almost four years.
“I don’t want to say I regret my action but I just cannot keep up. I am sure she (my partner) understands but I am afraid she might begin to look elsewhere. I always need aphrodisiac to stay up and active, and I know these things come with a lot of baggage,” he stated.
A medical doctor, Dr Sandra Okezie, noted that it was normal for the body to experience changes as one aged, adding that these changes might affect the sex lives of these persons.
Here are six ways to remain sexually active even after age 50.
Eat right
A sex therapist, Mrs Martha Osas, said food constituted more than 70 per cent of all the body needed to function aside from blood, water, and other bodily fluids.
“It is important that before one even gets to 50, they begin to eat the right kind of foods like roughages, fruits, healthy proteins, and lots of water. You do not expect your body to function the way it used to when you were 20 years old or 30.
“The body function drops, and that is why it needs extra care so when your body is called up sexually it can respond,” she said.
Okezie added that fruits like cucumber, carrots, and healthy nuts like chestnuts could improve overall body function when taken in the right proportion.
Shun late-night meals
Eating late, even for younger persons, has been identified as an unhealthy habit that should definitely not follow them into their 50s.
For instance, Okezie stated that the best time to have dinner should be between 5 pm and 7 pm.
“6 pm is very appropriate. Dinner should be very light and should have lots of fruits and come with a lot of fluids as well so the food can digest before bedtime which is when most couples choose to have sexual intercourse.
“Eating after 7 pm and eating heavily can be detrimental to one’s sexual health, and it is even compounded when one turns 50,” she added.
A nutritionist, Adewale Osunde, stated that 50-year-olds who wanted to remain sexually active must learn to eat in small portions, especially at night.
Exercise regularly
Exercise, according to experts, is a good way to keep the body fit, as it enhances body processes and brings quick relief to not just physical but emotional and sexual health.
Exercising regularly, according to medics, can help improve stamina, leading to longer-lasting intercourse.
It also improves blood flow to sexual organs, which is necessary for both arousal and orgasm.
Osas stated that regular exercise even before 50 was the way to go if one wanted to still enjoy sex after 50 and beyond.
“There are 70-year-olds who still enjoy good sex in the right portion both for men and women. It is how much you invest in yourself before 50.
Talk about health issues with partners
Experts have also identified that some health issues associated with aging could complicate the sexual lives of people who are over 50.
For Okezie, if a man just had prostate surgery or any surgery at all, it may take a while for him to begin to feel the urge to engage in sexual activities again.
This is because, according to her, the body may be taking some time to heal and rest to function optimally again.
“Don’t push it. Don’t force it; just relax and let the body do its job but you have to discuss what you are feeling with your partner. Whether it is high cholesterol, issues with blood pressure, or aches and pains, talking about health issues with one’s partner is advisable as one begins to age.
“It is true that conversations around sexual health for seniors don’t flow easily because elders are seen as sexless beings who should be more invested in taking care of their grandkids and reading newspapers,” she said.
Explore foreplay
Foreplay, according to an online resource, Natural Cycles, is a set of emotionally and physically intimate acts between one or more people meant to create sexual arousal and desire for sexual activity.
Although foreplay is typically understood as physical sexual activity, nonphysical activities, such as mental or verbal acts, may in some contexts be foreplay.
As one ages, sexual health experts have urged them to explore ways, other than actual sex, that could arouse them and prep them for actual intercourse.
Osas said, “It can just be dirty talk between these partners, or watching a sensual movie together, or just being in each others’ arms. It can become more intense and physical, too. All these actions help prepare the mind for what is to come.”
Okezie said seniors might need to talk with their partners about more foreplay, role-play, or the use of silicone-based lubricants.
“People of either sex might have body image problems, recalling how they looked in their younger days. These thoughts shouldn’t keep you from enjoying sex. Discuss with your partner and you may be shocked to find out they also want to explore,” the expert added.
Talk to a doctor
In a 2018 National Poll on Healthy Aging by the University of Michigan, most respondents (76 per cent) agreed that sex was a vital part of a romantic relationship at any age.
Yet only 17 per cent of older adults had brought up the subject of sexual health with their healthcare providers in the past two years.
A geriatric centre, Full Cycle, noted that sexual health among seniors tended to be a taboo topic.
“It’s often surrounded by feelings of fear and anxiety. The problem is that when we avoid discussing a topic, it can become plagued with misconceptions and stereotypes. It can also be harmful to our health.
“For example, not sharing your sexual struggles with your doctor could cause a serious underlying medical condition to be overlooked. And not communicating openly with your partner can put you both at risk for sexually transmitted diseases like genital herpes, hepatitis B, syphilis, and gonorrhea,” it said in an article published on its website.
Osas, commenting, said there was no specific age when sexuality “stops”.
“After all, humans are sexual beings by nature, and one doesn’t suddenly lose all interest in sex just because you turn 50.
