The old saying that life begins at 40 seems to be true … so far as women and sex are concerned.

Those in their fifth decade have a better time in bed than at any other stage of their life, new research suggests.

The survey of 600 British women backs up a US study which also indicated women in their 40s are less self-conscious about their bodies and as a result are more confident between the sheets.

According to experts, this is the age when females hit their ‘sexual confidence’ peak - they know what they want in the bedroom and they are not afraid to ask.

By contrast a fifth of women under 30 say they often merely pretend to be satisfied in bed, compared with just seven per cent of 40-somethings.

Confidence and Experience

Nicola Down, editor of Top Sante magazine, which carried out the research, said: ‘The real sexual adventure begins when the children are older or have left home and women have the body confidence and experience to enjoy sex more than ever before.

“Our survey clearly shows that married women in their 40s have the best sex lives.

”So it’s sad that eight out of ten women think society and younger people in particular don’t have a positive image about older women when, in truth, they are the ones worldly enough to enjoy a wonderful sex life.”

A summary of the findings:

• More than a quarter of married women admitted having had an affair, compared with an estimated 18 per cent of husbands.
• Up to 80 per cent say they are now more adventurous with their partner than during their 20s, with 60 per cent saying they feel more assertive.

• 68 per cent are fully aware of which love-making technique gives them the most pleasure, and more than half say they are not too embarrassed to ask.

• Up to 58 per cent say they have the best sex when they are married, often because they are more experienced.

• Well over 90 per cent of women insisted that fidelity was essential in a long-term relationship - which made the number admitting to affairs so surprising.
• Only five per cent of the married women who admitted being unfaithful said it was when they had the best sex.

• By comparison, 58 per cent said the best sex they had ever had was with their husband.

• The average over 40-year-old woman has had five sexual partners - compared with nine for the average 30-something.

The study published in the British Journal of Urology, concluded that love-making depended on a range of factors including confidence and the strength of the relationship.

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About the author

Jenny W