Sexual activity in women after 60: why it's important for quality of life

There is a growing body of research on sexuality in adulthood, but most of it still focuses on sex with a partner rather than solo practices like masturbation and sex toy use. A new paper published in the journal Menopause has for the first time looked in detail at how women over 60 use sex toys - both with a partner and alone.

What exactly was studied

More than 3,000 women aged 60+ in the US participated in the survey. Researchers analysed:

• how often women masturbate;

• whether they use sex toys during masturbation and/or partnered sex;

• how this relates to the frequency of orgasm.

It was previously known:

• women in general are less likely to masturbate than men;

• the frequency of masturbation in women declines with age;

• women are more likely to perceive masturbation as an adjunct to sex with a partner, while men are more likely to perceive it as a substitute in the absence of a partner.

Meanwhile, old taboos around masturbation and sex toys are gradually eroding. The COVID pandemic, for example, was accompanied by a surge in sex toy sales, and some people have expanded their sexual repertoire through new practices with a partner and alone.

In older women, physiological factors also play an important role:

• penetrative sex may become more painful due to the effects of menopause;

• male partners are more likely to have erectile dysfunction;

• more women live alone (divorce, widowhood, conscious choice of single life).

Against this background, alternative forms of sexual expression - including the use of sex toys - are increasingly replacing or supplementing traditional sexual intercourse.

What the study showed

The authors of the paper revealed:

• Masturbation and the use of sex toys in women 60+ have become more common than previously thought.

• Women were significantly more likely to use sex toys during masturbation than during sex with a partner.

• Those who almost always or always use sex toys when masturbating were noticeably more likely to report almost always or always reaching orgasm.

• The most popular devices were external vibrators and dildo/penetrative toys.

Among women who still have sex with a partner, about 39% at least sometimes use sex toys in couples sex as well.

The authors emphasise: orgasm and sexual satisfaction in adulthood are not only related to mood and quality of life, but also to possible health benefits, including cognitive effects(for example, other studies have described better verbal memory in sexually active older people).

Why it's important to talk to your doctor about this

Despite the growing interest in the topic, many women - both young and old - are not well-versed

• in anatomy,

• how the female orgasm really works,

• the causes of sexual difficulties.

"Many women think there's something wrong with them if they can't have an orgasm with a partner," notes Dr Monica Christmas of The Menopause Society. - In fact, most women don 't reach orgasm from vaginal penetration alone."

She says that if health care providers regularly bring up the topic of sexuality at appointments, it will help:

• remove the stigma,

• explain how a woman can reach orgasm,

• show that the use of masturbation and sex toys is a normal and potentially healthy part of sexuality at any age.

Given the association found between sex toys, orgasm and potentially more favourable health outcomes, the authors believe that older women should receive more open and informed medical advice on sexuality, including masturbation and sex toy use.