This is the age that men and women reach their ‘sexual peak’

We all go through ebbs and flows in the bedroom.

Thanks to various factors from hormones and stress to diet, some days, you might feel ready and raring to go, and others, you can’t think of anything worse.

And now, a new study has revealed the age at which both men and women reach their sexual peak, firmly dispelling the horny teenager stereotype.

Surveying 73,000 participants, one self-reported Estonian study examined the influence that age, gender, relationship status, sexual orientation, childbirth, relationship satisfaction, education, and job level all have on sexual satisfaction.

The results found that age and gender were the factors that were the most likely to influence a person’s levels of sexual desire.

The study concluded that the age you are, is a strong indicator of how likely you are to want to have sex, or what the study calls ‘sexual peak’.

For men, that age is around their late 30s to early 40s, and this gradually plateaus as they get older.

As for the gals, the peak of the average woman’s sexual desire tends to happen between the ages of 20 and 30.

It’s not just gender that influences how randy we might feel though. The study noted that people who identify as either bisexual or pansexual actually report higher levels of desire, which the research claims is down to ‘broader attraction patterns and relational flexibility.’

What does reaching a sexual peak actually mean?

According to Lovehoney’s sex and relationships expert Annabelle Knight, this terminology refers to ‘the point in life when someone feels their libido and sexual responsiveness is at its highest.’

‘Most people think of it as when you are most capable of having frequent sex that is high in quality,’ she tells Metro.

However, as Annabelle notes, this isn’t a single ‘fixed window,’ nor is it a deadline to aim for.

She says: ‘Desire, performance and pleasure naturally rise and fall over time depending on health, stress, hormones, confidence and relationships, so what people call a “peak” is really just one chapter in a much longer, more fluid sexual story.’

So, how might you realise you’ve reached your sexual peak?

Annabelle says that the signs can be very subjective, as some people believe it occurs when they notice stronger and more frequent desire, as well as things like ‘quicker arousal, more spontaneous sexual thoughts and, for some, a greater ease in getting physically turned on.’

There’s also a gendered element to this, as men are often encouraged to see a strong, thriving libido as ‘proof of virility and masculinity.’ On the other hand, Annabelle sees that women are more likely to ‘downplay’ their desire, whether for fear of being slut-shamed or otherwise.

She adds: ‘That cultural lens can influence how honestly people assess where they are sexually.’

When it comes to this gendered divide, Annabelle says that hormones do tend to play a role in defining your sexual desire.

With women, oestrogen and testosterone both influence female desire, and these levels can change throughout pregnancy, as well as fluctuate with contraception, perimenopause, and menopause.

‘Socially, women are also taught that their sexual value is highest when they’re young, which can lead them to view their twenties or early thirties as their “peak,” even if their confidence, communication and pleasure actually improve later,’ Annabelle explains.

‘Biology and social conditioning are likely working together here.’

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