Body Care After 40

Sexual Health (After 40)

Sexuality is a big part of being human. Love, affection and intimacy play a big part in healthy relationships and contribute to our sense of well being. Most people enjoy sex when they grow older as they have gained more sexual experience and confidence. They know what sort of sexual activities make them feel satisfied and are relaxed about communication their sexual desires and needs. Now this does not implement for every person. Some people have slow responses to sexual desires as they may have some sort of underlying illness, related to to medication or disability. There are many health related factors that affect sex. They are Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, taking certain drugs including anti-depressants, antipsychotics, beta-blockers, and diluretic drugs. Prostrate gland surgery in men affect men's sexual life.
Women's Sexuality: The most change in a woman's sexual takes place when there is menopause and afterwards. Symptoms like hot flushes, mood swings, night sweats and fatigue have a negative impact on a woman's sex drive. The decline in oestrogen that happens at monopause can affect the urogenital tract and cause dryness and itchiness of the vagina and vulva. Women find that they can no longer produce sufficient lubrication, so a lubrication gel can be used or spending a longer time on foreplay will help. Although women's fertility declines around the time of menopause, women who do not want to conceive should use contraceptives for at least a year. Barrier methods such as the condom or a diaphragm can be used.
Men's Sexuality: Men find that that their sex drive is lower in their40's and 50's. Their erection is slower and smaller and a less upright than it used to be. Ejaculation may be less intense and less forceful. Feelings of sexual arousal might come from direct touching rather than visual cues, like seeing his partner undressing. Sometimes these changes have a positive effect on your sex life cause your responses are slower and you are more focused on tactile stimulation. If you have a problem with erection, consult your doctor, it might be due to blocked arteries. Erection of the penis is due to the flow of blood into the penile tissues, if arteries are blocked, then blood flow is less efficiently. Try reducing stress level by giving your partner a massage prior to sex and making the bedroom as relaxing as possible.

The Importance Of Sleep (After 40)

Sleep is necessary for a person's mental and physical well-being. The whole day we are active, doing our different chores and duties, always on the move, our brains functioning all the time. The body needs a period of rest every night to allow it to recuperate from the day to day repair cellular damage and maintain the immune system. If sleep is not enough, then you tend to get moody and bad tempered. If your insomnia is chronic, then you may be permanently depressed, worried, tired and lacking in energy. As you get older, getting a good night's sleep remains essential to rejuvenate the body. There is a misconconception that people need less sleep than before when they get older. On an average, 8 hours of sleep for a human being is needed. There might be a change in sleeping patterns as you get older and these changes make the duration of sleep shorter. Older people spend less time in deep sleep or “delta sleep”. They continue to spend the same amount of time in dream or “rapid eye movement”. People find it difficult to get sleep as they get older because they produce less of the chemicals that control the sleep and waking cycle. For example, older people secrete less melatonin, a sleep promoting substance produced by the pineal gland of the brain. Menopausal women find their sleep disrupted by hot flushes and night flushes. They might have to change their clothes and linen, which further disrupts the sleep. In the long term this can lead to depression, irritability, concentration, and reduced immune system. Some self help measure are keeping a bowl of water, a sponge, a hand held fan and a towel by you bedside. Always wear night clothes made out of natural fibres and keep a change of clothes beside the bed. Making the bedroom welcoming and relaxing can help to induce sleep. Skin cells regenerates during a faster rate when you are sleeping, so it is very important to have a good night's sleep. Some age related illnesses may interefere with your sleep, like arthritis, the pain in the joints give you disturbances throughout the night. Digestive problems can keep you awake. Other age related illnesses like cancer, bladder problems, etc. can keep you from having a good sleep. A day time nap can be valuable to relieve fatigue and sleepiness. It can revive and refresh you, and give you the energy to keep active throughout the day. You can enhance sleep quality by these methods. Avoid eating a heavy meal before going to bed. Avoid caffeine or alcoholic. Go to bed roughly at the same time, so that it becomes a habit. Cut out any source of light that might keep you awake. Have a warm bath and milky drink before going to bed. Listen to some soothing music or read a book before going to bed.

Skin Care (After 40)
Taking care of one's body after the age of 40's is most important when it comes to the skin. The skin is the largest organ of the body. It acts as a protective layer against bacteria and other invaders. As we age, skin loses its elasticity, it get thinner and wrinkled. In fact, we judge a person's age by the skin visible. Ultraviolet rays damage the skin and wrinkles it. Age plays a major part in the changing of skin texture. A protein called collagen is responsible for keeping the skin supple, elastic and youthful. The ultraviolet rays attack the skin at a very fast pace and the most exposed areas are the face and hands which get damaged the most. Cigarette smoking too fastens the process of aging. The rays attack the layer of the skin where new cells are formed. The shape of the cells change and they become smaller. This causes the skin to lose its thickness and become more transparent. The skin on the neck, is also prone to visible loosening and sagging with age. Some other problems are broken veins and itchiness. If broken veins are not visible, they do not require any particular treatment. But if they look unsightly on you , then you can go in for a technique to remove it, known as electrocautery. Itchiness may be due to menopause. The best way for skin care is to protect yourself from the ultraviolet rays by wearing a hat when it is sunny and wearing sunscreen lotion. Another way to protect your skin is to minimize free radical damage to body cells from pollution and cigarette smoking. Eat food that are rich in Vitamin A, C, and E, betacarotene and selenium or zinc. Sufficient quality sleep gives you better skin. Some tips to make your skin improve are:

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