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November 28, 2018 | Health | By Amanda Johnson
Stop thinking you cannot have sex anymore. You can and, in fact, with the health benefits that it offers. Below are 12 health reasons why women over 60 need to continue to have sex.
Even if at this age you are unable to have sex that involves a lot of jumping, the amount of exercise that it gives the heart and your various parts is good enough. 30 minutes of sex will, in fact, help you to burn around 85 calories! If you indulge in sex regularly you will hence find that your weight and cholesterol levels are under check. Research has shown that regular sex can increase the HDL, that is the good cholesterol, by around 10%
The time that you spend with your partner is a time for bonding. When you realise that you are still beautiful enough to excite him it makes you feel good about yourself. This helps to reduce the levels of stress. Lower stress levels will, in turn, boost your levels of immunity and promote better sleep quality.
Sex helps in the production of the hormone oxytocin. High levels of oxytocin have shown to reduce chronic headaches at this age. Oxytocin also helps to produce endorphins. Endorphins help one to feel better about oneself.
Studies have shown that with age women experience vaginal atrophy or the thinning of the vaginal walls. This can make penetration painful. Regular sex helps to prevent vaginal atrophy. Menopause brings about other changes in the vagina as well. For example, a fall in the level of estrogen which can cause vaginal dryness which, in turn, can lead to painful sex. Sexual activity helps to maintain vaginal lubrication and hence prevents pain and tear of the vaginal tissues.
Recent research has shown that it lowers the blood pressure. One study revealed that couples that engage in sex at this age had lower diastolic pressure. Another study that was conducted in Britain over a long period of time showed that couples who had sex more than a couple of times a week had a lower risk of a heart attack than those who did not for months. This study also went ton to say that unlike the popular belief, there is no correlation between age and the possibility of a stroke after sex.
During sex your arms and legs get a lot of movement. This regular movement helps to reduce various aches and pains of the muscles. The vaginal stimulation also reduces the chronic pain that you might be feeling at your lower back or in the legs. Sexual activity helps to keep pain due to arthritis at bay. Regular sex helps to maintain the levels of estrogen and testosterone in the body as well. These, in turn, help to prevent osteoporosis in older women.
When a woman finds that she makes her partner happy and that she still holds some value, her self worth rises. Sex, hence comes with helping to increase the psychological health in women. Hence it not only promotes movement but also is a form of movement that makes one feel happier. It is due to this that if you engage in sex at this age that you will find that your mood swings are fewer and you are feeling happier. Studies have shown that sex in older women helps to reduce bouts of depression in them.
Loneliness can lead to major health risks. Sex, by bringing in a feeling of bonding, helps to reduce this risk. Also, since sex means activity, the blood circulation within the body improves and hence so does the brain activity. Cognitive powers are thus better and risks of dementia are lower if a woman engages in regular sexual activity.
As a woman ages she can suffer from incontinence, or loss of bladder control. Sex acts as a work out that strengthens the pelvic floor muscles. This is because when you have an orgasm these muscles contract, which, in turn, makes them stronger provided it is regular. With stronger pelvic muscles, hence, you will be able to control your bladder much better. Stronger pelvic floor muscles will also make it less painful for you during intercourse and there is a lower probability of a vaginal prolapse.
Regular sex will help you look younger than any anti aging cream would. By stimulating hormones like estrogen and testosterone and improving the blood circulation in the body, sex makes the skin looks fresher and younger. The glow that the skin gets post sex is because of the improved blood flow.
Immunoglobulin A (IgA) is an antibody that helps to prevent illnesses and is also defends the body against HPV (human papillomavirus). Studies have shown that regular sex can help one to produce more immunoglobulin A. Frequent sex, can thus help you have a stronger immune system.
Having sex with your partner is bound to give you pleasure. This is one activity that leads to a lot of mental calmness and gives a lot of satisfaction. Even if one is not indulging in penetrative sex but is just cuddling around with the partner or kissing, it gives a feeling of happiness. These positive vibes that it leads to is one very important reason why a woman at your age should not give up on having sex.
Sexual intimacy is often not spoken about amongst people who have crossed the threshold of middle age. Hence, it is often misinterpreted as them not having any interest in sex left anymore. This, however is a myth. Women over 60 still very much do want sex. So, if you have been holding back then do not hesitate any farther because now you know how healthy it is for you.