London – A good sex life in later life won’t just improve your mood, it could also boost your brain power.
A Dutch study found the more satisfied a person was with their love life in their 60s and 70s, the sharper their mind and the better their memory.
After researchers quizzed more than 1,700 men and women about their sex life, the volunteers, who ranged in age from 58 to 98, were put through a battery of mental tests. Those who were satisfied with their sex life did better on the tests. The link was particularly strong in women, the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry reports.
The researchers, from Altrecht mental health centre, said they cannot be sure if staying sexually active was keeping the brain active or if interest in sex dwindles as the mind fails.
The finding follows a recent Manchester University study which revealed that age is no barrier to an active love life, with more than half of men and almost a third of women aged over 70 still sexually active.
Daily Mail