Women reach a peak of sexual confidence at the age of 31, new research has revealed. Experts, who carried out a detailed study, found this to be the age when most women are experienced enough to be confident in their body shape and their sexual prowess.
The study also found being in a loving, long-term relationship enables women to express themselves more freely in a physical sense.
By contrast, the women polled revealed they were at their lowest point in terms of sexual confidence just six years earlier at the age of 25, due to peer pressure and fears over their body shape.
The study of 2,000 asked adults to rate their own confidence and satisfaction with their love life, and also found as many as one in four currently have a 'poor sex life'.
A spokesman for
Singles247.com which commissioned the study, said:
"Having a healthy and rewarding love life is something everyone wants but isn’t always easy to find and maintain.
"Across our lifetime it’s inevitable we’ll have good and bad experiences when it comes to romance and being intimate with a partner. In our younger days we might be more enthusiastic but the inexperience and insecurity is bound to take effect.
"It seems by the early thirties we’re a lot more content in ourselves and are better at dealing with any worries about our bodies so we’re more confident between the sheets."
The study polled men and women aged 18-60 and calculated the average ages at when the genders were at their most sexually confident based on that range.
Results also showed men to have the most confidence in their bedroom ability while in their early thirties - reaching their peak performances at the age of 33.
But just 12% of the 2,000 studied could describe their current sex life as very good, and the average person ranks their sex life at a five out of ten.
Overall people cited chemistry as the most important part of a happy sex life – with the average person valuing this, communication and ‘being comfortable’ as more important than being attracted to the other person.
Although it seems experiences are hit and miss - reviewing their love life the average respondent rated 44% of their partners as good experiences.
In fact one third of people said their current partner isn’t the best lover they’ve ever experienced.
A bored 30% feel trapped in a sex life that is ‘very routine’, while one fifth said their occasions between the sheets are non-existent.
While men are three times more likely to initiate sex in a relationship - 45% said they are the ones to always get things started compared to just 15% of women.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the more sexual partners a person had, the more they valued raw attraction as crucial to a good sex life.
But four in ten people thought the number of partners a person has previously had has no relation on whether they are good in bed or not.
In fact, more than half the study agreed that the sex gets better in a relationship the longer it lasts.
But there is hope – 44% of people believe in love at first sight – 23% of those in relationships knew they wanted to be with their current partner just hours after meeting them, while one in ten knew ‘instantly’.
The spokesman added:
"It’s interesting to see that chemistry and communication were deemed more crucial than raw attraction by respondents.
"Being comfortable with a partner, while still keeping things fresh and not slipping into routine is key but tricky to avoid.
"Many single people were unsatisfied with their love life and prospects overall, but with the many options for meeting new people available today, the chance to find that all important chemistry has never been greater."
