As we age, we reflect on our lives, looking back on the good, the bad and the ugly. People are often too quick to assume that you have the best sex of your life in your twenties, and that it’s all downhill after that. While there are many factors that can affect your sex life, and age can be one of them, this is not to say you can’t be having the time of your life in your 50’s.

Fenetic Wellbeing surveyed 2,000 people to discover when the UK were having the best sex of their lives. Their research (thankfully) revealed that age doesn’t determine the quality of your sex life. While the survey found what most people would expect, that most people report having had the best sex of their lives between 24 and 35, the survey also revealed that over a third of over 50’s are having the best sex of their life after 45.

Here are five reasons that sex gets better with age:

1. Women often become more confident in their body as they get older. For many women in their twenties they’re self-conscious, still trying to figure out who they are, are experimenting with what they like or don’t like. For some this can be fun and exciting, however for others it can make sex quite awkward and uncomfortable.

A YouGov survey found that six in ten Britons say that their insecurities impact their sexual relationships, with women being much more concerned with how their body looks during sex and what their partner thinks about their looks. With younger women feeling the most self-conscious in their body during sex, it’s no surprise that women enjoy sex more as they get older and are less concerned with how they look. This means that for many women their sex drive is actually at its highest in their 40’s as they’re more confident in their own body and know what they want in bedroom.

2. Women feel more empowered in the bedroom as they get older and less embarrassed about saying what they want in the bedroom. Sex can still be a taboo topic among young women (those pesky double standards still coming through in 2022!) and as a result, many young women still feel embarrassed and awkward when talking about sex and what they like in the bedroom. However … as you get older, you worry less about those little thing and take matters into your own hands! You realise there’s no time to waste having bad sex … let your sexual partner know what works for you!

3. Understanding that more sex doesn’t mean better sex. Quality over quantity and all that – enough said!

4. Everyone involved has had more experience and learnt the secret to success! As well as knowing what you yourself wants in the bedroom, both partners have had many more years of experience by the age of 45.

5. Sex is often better with a long term partner. I’m sure everyone can agree that there are many reasons that sexual satisfaction can vary in your single years and when in a committed relationship. Fenetic Wellbeing survey also revealed that over one in five people who are married in the UK say that they’re having the best sex of their life after 45! It’s been proven that the nature of your sexual encounter can affect your sexual satisfaction. A study from ZAVA about the evolution of intimacy in relationships found that during one night stands only 11% of women achieved climax compared to 64% of men. When you’re unfamiliar with one another, unsure what the other likes and quite often drunk weird and uncomfortable moments can happen quite frequently – this can usually quite quickly kill the mood and end awkwardly.

Psychologist, Sex and Relationship Advisor at Dimepiecela, Barbara Santini, explains ‘marriage sex’ lacks the uncomfortable moments that can often male one night stands or sex in a new relationship feel awkward. However, Barbara also reassures us that it’s completely normal for the occasional awkward encounter with your partner, but in a long term relations ‘’the rare weird moments are even sweeter, intimate, and it is among the things you enjoy as a couple’’.