Baby Boomers Are Reporting the Most Satisfying Sex Lives—How To Make Sure You’re One of Them

Whether long nights bar hopping with your partner have turned into cozy dinner dates or a quiet movie night on the couch, relationships change. And one of the biggest shifts can happen in your sex life. But change can be a good thing. New research suggests baby boomers are reporting the most satisfying sex lives. We spoke to experts about how sex changes after 60 and got their best tips on how to keep having great sex throughout your next chapter.

Why baby boomers’ sex lives can change for the better

You might assume Gen Z or millennials would be having the most pleasurable sex, as we’ve so often heard that desire dwindles with age. And while it’s true that there are very real conditions, such as hypoactive sexual desire order (HSDD), that can affect your sex drive, that doesn’t mean you’re doomed to lackluster love life. In fact, Body+Soul’s 2026 Sex Census found that baby boomers in their 60s and 70s were actually the most “pleasure-led” generation surveyed in Australia. And according to VICE’s reporting on the survey, baby boomers were also most likely to express love, deepen intimacy and feel closer to their partner through sex.

What’s causing this pleasure boost? “Baby boomers often have more time, fewer distractions and less performance pressure than younger generations,” explains Anna Cabeca, DO, FACOG, a triple-board certified ob-gyn, regenerative and integrative medicine physician. “Many are past the most demanding years of career-building and raising children and are more interested in quality over quantity. They’ve also lived through decades of changing messages around sexuality and may now be giving themselves permission to ask for what feels good.”

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“In their 20s and 30s, most couples treat intercourse as a pass or fail test: spontaneous erection, predictable arousal and orgasm every time,” adds Vanessa Cushing, LPC, NCC, MS, AASECT-certified sex and couples therapist and founder at Cushing Counseling. “With age, that predictability naturally declines for both partners. Counterintuitively, that’s often what unlocks more pleasure—not less. Once a couple lets go of intercourse as the only ‘real’ sex, they broaden into what [Dr. Barry] McCarthy calls the full range of touch: affectionate, sensual, playful and erotic, not just intercourse. That fuller menu tends to be more consistently pleasurable than a narrow, goal-driven script ever was.”

Wondering where your desire went? Our Desire Hub has expert answers and ways to get your spark back.

How sex feels different with age—and how to ensure you’re satisfied 

While the surveyed baby boomers were certainly basking in sexual pleasure and intimacy, they also reported age-related challenges. VICE reports that 66 percent said age impacted their sexual performance and 39 percent cited health-related changes to their sex lives. The good news? Cushing shared the three most common age-related health changes that can affect your sex life and tips on what to do about them.

Achy joints and low energy may get in the way 

“Arthritis and joint pain can make certain positions uncomfortable, chronic illness can reduce energy and common medications, including some antidepressants and blood pressure drugs, can blunt desire, arousal or the ability to reach orgasm,” says Cushing. 

What helps: Cushing encourages talking to your prescribing doctor about any changes in arousal due to medications and inquiring about potential alternatives. If you have or suspect you have HSDD—persistent, distressing low desire—talk to your doctor and ask if treatment such as Addyi (a once-daily pill) or Vyleesi (an on-demand injection) might be right for you. 

As for sex, Cushing encourages being intentional about being intimate when your pain level is truly lower or you have more energy rather than forcing yourself to get in the mood. She also says certain positions can provide more comfort if you’re in the mood but dealing with joint pain or stiffness. “Side-lying or seated positions reduce joint strain, pillows can provide support and treating lower-energy days as an opportunity for non-intercourse touch rather than a day sex is ‘off’ keeps intimacy going without demanding more than the body has that day,” Cushing adds. 

It may take longer to become aroused 

“Blood flow and nerve sensitivity change with age, so what used to arouse you in a minute may now take considerably longer and need more direct, sustained touch,” says Cushing. “This is not the same thing as low desire, it’s a different timeline.”

What helps: Cushing encourages making time for intimate touch without the expectation that touch must turn into intercourse and communicating clearly and honestly about what feels good now versus what felt good 10 or even 20 years ago. “Extended manual or oral stimulation, a vibrator for added intensity and staying mentally present rather than anxiously monitoring your own response (what sex therapists call ‘spectatoring’) all help close that gap,” adds Cushing. 

You may notice vaginal dryness and thinning tissue

“After menopause, declining estrogen reduces natural lubrication and makes vaginal tissue thinner, less stretchy and more easily irritated,” says Cushing. “Doctors call this genitourinary syndrome of menopause, or GSM. The practical effect is that intercourse can go from pleasurable to uncomfortable or even painful (the clinical term is dyspareunia).”

What helps: Cushing recommends practicing non-intercourse touch for an even longer period of time so that your body is more fully aroused, using lube proactively during sex and also using vaginal moisturizers on a regular schedule. “Talk to your gynecologist about vaginal estrogen or other options if dryness persists,” adds Cushing.

2 secrets to a satisfying sex life 

While the tips above can help manage physical issues that disrupt your sex life, staying in tune with your own body and desire are just as important. Here’s what Cushing recommends:

• Use your voice: “Initiate, ask for what you want and actively guide your partner’s touch rather than waiting to be pleased,” says Cushing. Many baby boomer women were taught to be sexually passive, but taking a more active role in your sex life boosts your own arousal and helps your partner not have to guess, adds Cushing. 
• Lean into fantasy and masturbation: Cushing recommends masturbating regularly, whether alone or with a partner, and leaning into your sexual fantasies to stay connected to your own arousal. 

The bottom line on having a satisfying sex life 

Body changes and age-related aches don’t have to derail your sex life—they can actually create some opportunities to get a little more innovative in the bedroom, once you know how to manage them. So take our experts’ advice for a more satisfying sex life and get to it!

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