Are you having as much sex as everyone else?

It’s natural for libido to wax and wane due to life events, dating status or hormonal changes.

And it can be hard to say what a “normal” sexual frequency is. But research and case studies give us a rough idea.

When it happens

61%

 A 2023 survey concluded that almost two thirds (61 per cent) of us wait until night-time to have sex.

Only 14 per cent opt to get busy in the early evening, and 10 per cent in the morning.

Three

 Research from 2019 suggests that the average number of times British live-in or married couples have sex per month is three. 

I see my partner on the weekends and have sex with others in the week.

Leanne, a 27-year-old influencer from Bristol has sex three or four times a week, but only sees her long-distance partner on the weekends. They have agreed they can both sleep with other people during the week.

35-year-old Rebecca usually sleeps with her partner once or twice per week due to not having much child-free time.

Gen X

Anna, 52

I’ve been married for 15 years. I love my husband, but our sex life is non-existent, and has been for about five years.

Seven rules to save your marriage

Therapists

Karen Deulofeu, who ended her six-year marriage, believes all couples should seek support, even before they think they need it.

Remember that things change

“What you see on social media and what friends say is quite often the nice version. Everything is a phase,” says Deulofeu.

There are things that all mid-life men should know about keeping their hearts healthy.

From eating more purple fruit to avoiding large bowls of pasta, consultant cardiologist Dr Zoe Astroulakis [below] shares her simple lifestyle habits she wishes her patients would take on board.

Swap ‘bad’ fats for healthy ones

You don’t need to eat a fat-free diet; the key is to reduce your saturated fat. Reduce your dairy and swap your red meat for lean meat such as chicken and oily fish.

Positive changes to make

Have oats

Porridge is one of the healthiest breakfast options because it’s full of soluble fibre.

Positive changes to make

Check your levels

You can get free blood pressure checks in many pharmacies or you can buy a monitor for around £30 to use at home.

A beer belly is a sign you need to make urgent changes

It’s usually a sign you’re drinking too much. By the time your belly starts to bulge, it’s a sign that you’re consuming excess calories and storing too much fat internally.

Want a new career but worried it’s too late?

Mid-life is not too late to start again, says experienced recruiter Elizabeth Willetts [below].

Here, Willetts shares the best jobs to switch to during midlife if you want a change – without sacrificing pay.

Mid-life career pivots can lead to higher earnings. 

7.4%

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, workers aged 45 to 54 who voluntarily pivot jobs see an average wage growth of 7.4 per cent.

3.5%

And those aged 55 to 64 still see a 3.5 per
cent increase. 

The AARP Global Employee Survey also found that over half of workers who changed jobs voluntarily experienced improvements in work flexibility and mental health.

So what job options are there?

As a virtual assistant your workload will be very varied and it could be anything from tidying inboxes, booking travel, sending invoices or updating spreadsheets.

Recruitment

Who it’s for

You don’t need any qualifications but it’s suited to communicators and commercially-minded people. 

Jobs to switch to in your fifties

Training

This form of coaching for businesses could earn around £250 to £1,000 per day.

This can be across HR, operations, marketing, finance, people strategy or project management, as it’s varied.

A huge number of businesses now want expertise without having to hire full-time staff so there is a big job market for freelance consultants.

Price on value, not hours – if your advice saves a client £200k, charging £150 an hour undersells what you’re worth.

A bowl of cereal and glass of orange juice

More refined cereals are digested quickly, and fruit juice, whilst one of your five-a-day, contains less fibre than whole fruit. This might mean you find yourself hungry again within 1-2 hours of eating this breakfast.

Foods that leave you hungrier

Toast and jam

It is mostly carbohydrate and without protein or fibre, it is digested quickly, leaving you feeling hungry.

Foods that leave you hungrier

Pizza

Unless it’s loaded with veggies, it’s probably pretty low in fibre.

Foods that leave you hungrier

Low-fat yoghurt

A full-fat plain Greek yoghurt with berries and seeds tends to be much more filling due to the protein, fat and fibre.

Instead of thinking about avoiding foods, think about what you can add to them.

• Add beans, lentils or shredded chicken to your vegetable soup and pasta.
• Thicken your smoothies with Greek yoghurt, chia seeds and oats.
• Apple slices with peanut butter, yogurt with berries and hummus with oat biscuits are better snack options than a pre-made snack bar.
• Have alcohol alongside a balanced meal containing protein and fibre.