Health Information Center

A Biblical passage that seeks to explain man’s sinful nature reads, “For the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.”

That same passage may well apply to the elderly who wish to remain sexually active during their advanced years but who now have to curb that and the other pleasures of life because their bodies can no longer take it.

This does not mean that sex can no longer be enjoyed by the elderly. If the man and the woman are willing, sex is possible throughout the years and there are reports of men who have active sex lives at 90. A few males have produced children at 97 while women as old as 57 have given birth to normal kids.

Poor health may account for the gradual deterioration of the sex organs leading to impotence. After all, few people live to a ripe old age and fewer still can claim they enjoy good health in their advanced years. One pathologist, who examined more than 20,000 bodies, managed to pick out only 25 people who died “a natural death” or one that was not caused by disease. Continue reading ‘Sex and Old Age’ »

One of the advantages of reaching midlife is that we are finally finished with all those issues that make childhood and adolescence such a pain in the neck, such as needing set bedtimes as well as  regular dental and eye checkups; having to worry about using protection during sex and about cigarette smoking; getting all those shots to prevent diseases and wearing helmets to prevent sports injuries; needing to eat all our vegetables and avoid sugar as well as not missing gym class. What a relief to let these issues fade right along with our memories of tetherball on the school playground!

Not so fast. Would it surprise you to know that you still have to be aware of each and every one of the above so-called “child/adolescent” health issues?

For instance, what about set bedtimes? The obvious reason that we needed enforced, regular  bedtimes each night was so that we would get enough sleep. Being tired and sleepy the next day in school caused everything from lousy concentration to crabby moods. Now that we’re in midlife, many of us believe that sleep is no longer an issue. This is not the case at all. It’s still essential to our health and wellbeing. Recent studies have shown that not only do sleep disturbances often indicate a serious health problem, but that lack of sleep can actually cause health problems, such as weight gain. Polls have shown that nearly two thirds of adults over the age of sixty-five have sleep complaints, but that less than 15 per cent of them have been formally diagnosed with a sleep problem. Why? Because we don’t mention sleep problems to our health care providers. Our mothers were right — we still need to be concerned about our bedtimes. Continue reading ‘Not Just for Kids — the Surprising Health Issues of Midlife Women’ »