Do you remember the last time you made love, or had sex? For most of us to recall events, facts or processes, we must commit them to memory. The process of forming a memory involves encoding, storing, retaining and subsequently recalling information and past experiences.
50 year old adults who are more sexually active have better memory and cognitive skills than people who get busy less often, a new UK study suggests.
Sex appeared to give men's brains a bigger boost than women's: Men who were more sexually active showed higher scores on tests of memory skills and executive function -- the mental processes involved in planning, solving problems and paying attention -- whereas women who were more sexually active saw only a higher score in their memory skills, according to the findings, published online Jan. 28 in the journal Age and Ageing.
The study shows that there is a significant association between sexual activity and cognitive function in adults over 50, said study author Hayley Wright, a researcher in cognitive aging at the Center for Research in Psychology, Behavior and Achievement in England.
The researchers looked at data collected from more than 6,800 men and women ages 50 to 89 in England who were participating in a long-term study on aging
When they are asked to define memory, most people think of studying for a test or recalling where we put the car keys. However, memory is essential in our everyday lives. We would not be able to function in the present or move forward without relying on our memory.