Having sex after 40 can either be too much fun, full of experiments and fetishes or may simply slow down. Biologically, both men and women experience hormonal changes that may affect their desire to have sex or the performance entirely. However, in any of the cases, the hormonal changes may alter your sexual arousal, libido and sometimes also the intensity of orgasms. One may even face psychological changes that may affect the satisfaction derived from sex.

If you are someone entering the forties, there are certain things you might want to take care of to make sex better.

Healthy Diet

It is important to maintain your sexual health by getting on a proper diet that consists of less fried foods that are laden with processed carbs and excessive salt. A healthy diet doesn't just boost stamina but also improves libido.  Sex life depends on the kind of food you eat more than you think.

Heart Health

A healthy heart is key to healthy sex life. Erectile Dysfunction and heart health are connected.  In fact, your sex life can also tell a lot about your heart. People who have cardiovascular diseases, often have lowered stamina on bed. A history of heart attack or chest pain caused by heart disease may also affect your sex life by increasing the heart rate.

Dryness

In women, vaginal dryness is common after 40. Even though the hormones are to be blamed, sex gets a whole lot drier after 40. It is said that oestrogen levels tend to fluctuate and it may cause discomfort while having sex. Thinning of the vaginal wall attracts more irritation and makes them more prone to tear and cuts. However, it is not that big a deal. You can always resort to lube or even estrogen cream.

STIs

The risk of STIs do not decrease after 40. The reduced need for birth control, and the thinning of the vaginal tissues increase the chances contracting infections. Many people ditch condoms  because they think that the chances of pregnancy is reduced. Condoms are always advised to reduce the chances of contracting STIs

Women May Enjoy More Than You Think

Forty may find more pleasure in sex than they ever did before. "For some women, orgasm becomes easier with experience, self-confidence, and comfort," Landes says. In fact, many women may find discover a second phase to their sexual experience: They know what it takes to get there and aren't shy about making it happen.

Porn Doesn't Help Much

While it may not apply to everyone, once you turn 40, cliche XXX porn videos don't excite you anymore. You don't want to watch the same type of porn movies and it won't help your sex life as much as it did earlier.

Boredom Is Real

Once you have experimented quite a lot with sex, after 40 you tend to get bored and look for innovative positions or some kind of change in sex life. Some people even tend to develop fetishes such as partner swapping, etc.

(This article is written for informative purpose only and shouldn’t be substituted for professional advice. Laws related to the subject discussed in the article may vary according to region.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 14, 2019 09:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).