Older folks should be getting freaky frequently for their health, new research shows.

A Midwest-based study on the sex habits of seniors revealed that making more whoopie in one’s waning years can have a positive impact on the brain.

“For [adults] aged 75–90, more frequent sex was related to better cognitive functioning,” read the July 2023 report, authored by Shannon Shen, a researcher from the Department of Sociology and Social Work at Hope College in Michigan.

“For adults aged 62–74, better sexual quality (i.e., feelings of physical pleasure and emotional satisfaction) was related to better cognitive functioning,” Shen wrote.

Unlike the more elderly, for people in this age group, the frequency of sex was not as important. 

The findings also noted that feelings of physical pleasure were related to better cognitive functioning for men, but not for women. 

Alongside co-author Hui Li, from Center on Aging and the Life Course and Department of Sociology at Purdue University, Shen analyzed the cognitive assessments and survey responses of 1,683 respondents. 

For the purpose of the investigation, sex was defined as “mutually voluntary activity with another person that involves sexual contact, whether or not intercourse or orgasm occurs.” 

Also, “frequent” was defined as one or more sexual encounters per week.

The sexuality of the participants did not have a quantifiable bearing on their cognitive functions; however 1.6 percent of respondents did identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual.

The study is reportedly one of the first nationally representative, population-based examinations on how the sexual lives of older Americans are related to their later cognitive function.

Previously, a February 2022 study proposed that good sex slowed the cognitive decline of older male patients suffering from erectile dysfunction. And a similar probe conducted by Coventry and Oxford universities determined that more sex in old age boosts the brains inner workings. 

Shen, however, said her research adds a new layer of understanding to the science. 

“Our results are really highlighting different stages of later life being important in the benefits one sees from their sexual relationship,” she explained to EverydayHealth. 

“Even adults that have low libido can still enjoy high sexual quality,” she encouraged. “The broad definition of sex in the study could mean that it’s not just intercourse that needs to occur for us to see these cognitive benefits.”