Sex and Aging: How Often Do Older Couples In Their 60s & 70s Make Love?

Sex and aging can be embarrassing topic, but it doesn’t have to be. If you have questions like “how often do couples in their 60s make love?”, we have the answers and tips you need to have a healthy sex life into middle age and beyond.

As we all age, conversations about health and wellness become more and more common. But what about sexual wellness? Sex and aging is a topic that affects so many people, but it’s also one that is often overlooked. A better understanding of the relationship between sex and age is both a big part of personal wellness and a major piece of how to rekindle relationships later in life.

Let’s skip over the stigma of sex and aging and get right to the facts. From questions like “how often do 60 and 70 year olds make love?”, to overviews of common sexual issues, and ideas for how to rekindle your relationship and improve your sex life, here’s everything you should know.

Question #1: How Often Do Couples in Their 60s & 70s Make Love?

It’s not unusual to wonder what’s typical for other couples around your age. While there is no “normal” when it comes to sex and aging, some perspective about how many couples’ sex lives develop with age can help you find the answer to how to rekindle your own relationship:

• 37% of married people over the age of 60 make love once or more per week¹
• 16% of those people make love multiple times per week on a regular basis^1M/sup>
• 49.6% of people in relationships for 21 years or more feel that their partner has sex with them out of a sense of obligation²
• But, at the end of the day, 72% of married people said that they would pick the same partner if they had to do it all over again.²

What these quick stats really serve to highlight is that whether your sex life is active or stagnating as you age, and whether you and your partner are still feeling the spark or need some help rekindling your relationship, you’re not alone. 

Question #2: What Are Some Common Changes That Come With Sex and Aging?

It’s no surprise that the answer to “how often do couples in their 60s make love?” would be different than the same question asked about much younger couples. The natural changes that happen to our bodies as we age affect sexual health the same way they affect other areas of wellness.

For men, older and middle age sex can often be affected by erectile dysfunction, also known as ED. Defined as the loss of ability to have and keep an erection, ED can vary in severity for different men, and have causes ranging from heart disease, to certain medications, enlarged prostates, and mental factors like anxiety or depression.  For women, on the other hand, vaginal dryness is a common issue that could frustrate their sexual performance and satisfaction. This is largely due to natural changes that occur in a woman’s body with age like changes in the ability to produce natural lubrication. Some factors that affect both men and women include:

• Arthritis: Pain-causing afflictions like arthritis may make intimacy less comfortable.
• Incontinence: Urinary incontinence during or after intercourse becomes more common with age.
• Emotional Changes: Some factors affecting sex and aging are emotional rather than physical. Anxiety, depression, or a simple lack of confidence can diminish sexual drive.

Regardless of gender, sex and aging does not change the need for practicing safe sex. According to the National Institute on Aging, older people who are sexually active may be at risk for STDs like syphilis, gonorrhea, and genital herpes.

Question #3: How to Rekindle My Relationship and Sex Life?

The most important thing to remember about sex and aging is that there are plenty of ways to overcome the natural changes that may hamper your sex life to rekindle your relationship with your partner and enjoy positive sexual wellness:

1. Communicate with your partner! The statistic we saw about people who feel their partner only has sex with them out of a feeling of obligation is indicative of the importance of openness and honesty. Whether it’s as simple as an overdue conversation, or involves the assistance of sex therapy, communication is key.
2. Find the right treatment for physical issues affecting you. A conversation with your doctor can help you overcome obstacles like ED or vaginal dryness responsible for damaging your sexual enjoyment. You may also find that there are natural ways to support healthy sexual performance for both men and women.
3. Get creative about getting that spark back. Rekindling a relationship outside of the bedroom can have benefits for your sex life and overall happiness alike. The answer to how to rekindle a relationship can be as simple as things like bringing back date night, making an effort to show more physical affection such as hugging and kissing, and just bringing openness and honesty to the needs and desires of both you and your partner.
4. Take the pressure off yourself, and embrace the changes. Sex and aging is a fact of life just like aging itself. The right attitude toward your own sexuality and self-worth is just as important as any other solution on this list - just remember that even if things aren’t exactly the same as they used to be, you can enjoy an enriching, healthy sex life at any age.

It’s totally understandable that you might feel a bit awkward looking for answers to questions like “how often do 60 year olds make love?” and “how do I rekindle my relationship?”, but the facts and tips in this article make it clear that sex and aging is a perfectly normal thing to wonder about, as are the changes to our sex drive and sexual performance that happen over time.

With an empowered approach and by taking steps like finding the right tips and having good communication, you can rekindle a sex life and relationship that’s as fulfilling as it’s ever been. Follow us on social media to get more information about sexual health, personal wellness, and aging!

1. Press, The Associated. “Happiest Couples in Study Have Sex After 60 .” The New York Times, The New York Times, 4 Oct. 1992, www.nytimes.com/1992/10/04/us/happiest-couples-in-study-have-sex-after-60.html.
2. Chrisanna Northrup, Dr. Pepper Schwartz. “Sex at 50-Plus: What's Normal? - Older Married Couples, Having Sex, Re...” AARP, www.aarp.org/home-family/sex-intimacy/info-01-2013/seniors-having-sex-older-couples.html.

The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. They are not intended to treat, diagnose, prevent or cure any disease.