That marital “dry spell” might last longer than you’d like. According to a new study, a typical married couple’s sex life tapers off after a while, and doesn’t pick up again until 50 years in.
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Researchers from Louisiana State, Florida State, and Baylor Universities analyzed data from 1,656 married adults from age 57 to 85. They found that frequency of sex had a “U-shaped” pattern when compared to duration of a marriage; there was more sex early on, and much later on, but a dip in the middle. It wasn’t until 50 years into a marriage that sex tended to have a “modest rebound” in frequency. 
Like a fine wine, sex may get better with age–possibly because you’re more relaxed and confident as you get older. "As people age, they tend to be more even-keeled,” researcher Samuel Stroope said in a press release, “which may help cut down on marital conflict and facilitate regular sexual activity into advanced age."
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The research also showed that people who stay in their first marriages have sex more often than people who are remarried. But people who were remarried still reported equal levels of satisfaction and physical pleasure, despite having less frequent sex.   
The study, published in the journal Archives of Sexual Behavior, argues that an uptick in sex may have to do with a sense of permanence in a marriage. “You may have a higher level of trust when you feel that your spouse isn't going to go anywhere,” Stroope added. “The expectation that the relationship will continue may give you more reason to invest in the relationship–including in sexual aspects of the relationship."
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Photo:MD.N.M.K.NAZMUL HASSAN