Compared to marriage, dating is quite a recent phenomenon which has emerged only in the last few hundred years or so. Despite that, it is now an institution in itself and forms a major part of our social life.
However, whenever the word ‘dating’ comes to the mind, what is the first image that the brain conjures up? Most likely, a young beautiful couple seated in a restaurant. This is because we are a victim of the media which always emphasizes on youth and physical appearance. The reality is far different.
This is because we are a victim of the media which always emphasizes on youth and physical appearance. The reality is far different.
Age is no barrier to Dating
With the advent of modernization, technology and women empowerment, the world has also seen a change in the institution of marriage. It is no longer considered permanent or a lifetime commitment until your partner dies.
In fact, more and more people throughout the world are choosing cohabitation or open relationship over marriage. This has also resulted in a higher number of people of both genders being single by the time they reach their middle ages or forties.
So, it is completely natural to look for companionship because, by nature, no human being likes to be alone. However, very frequently it so happens that middle-agers think that their opportunity for dating and looking for a potentially romantic relationship is gone.
At the back of their mind, there is also this nagging feeling that they are no more what they used to be in their twenties or thirties. They are not physically that good looking anymore and sometimes men might think they might not be able to perform in bed as they used to before.
Nevertheless, all this is just a result of the bias that we all have been subjected to by the media.
“Aging is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength”
-Bethy Friedan
This quote illustrates a very important aspect of aging and what it entails. With modern technology and advances in medical field not only we are living longer, but also better and healthier.
That does not mean if we are single by middle age, we should continue to be so. In fact, age is no barrier to dating and by forties when one is well settled, dating can be the first step to a long-term relationship.
One study conducted in the USA showed that the number of single people in their forties has increased by 50 % since 1980. This also means that there is a larger population of potentially available partners.
In fact, dating in later life can prove to be more fruitful and fulfilling than it did in youth by virtue of both partners being more mature and stable.
Dating has many forms
While it is true that age should not act as a hurdle to a potentially romantic and stable relationship, it is also true that one cannot expect a lad in his twenties and a man in his forties to behave in the same way.
In fact, knowing how to adapt oneself to the societal norms can be the key to successful dating. For once, if a person who is still single by forty might not be looking for a long-term romantic relationship at all.
He might just want a temporary form of companionship. The point is older adult have a different set of needs and aspiration compared to the young. While younger people are more into drinking and dancing away on a Saturday night date, an older couple might prefer a quiet dinner and movies.
As we age, our perspective on life changes so should our dating etiquettes. Furthermore, while dating at the age of twenty, one’s priority might be physical appearance, age, and personality.
This concept changes with time. Older adults are more into trust, stability and good communication. Dating at 40 is more about meeting in person and communicating and talking in real time rather than chatting online.
Dating- the basis of a healthy life?
One key aspect of dating at any age is the fact that it might eventually lead to an intimate, even sexual relationship whether temporary or permanent. Therefore, older daters might hesitate as they feel they are not as good as they were before. With a hectic life and career, we also tend to ignore our health.
Also, forty years is the age around which age-related disorders might start to creep in. Men start to feel they are not able to perform sexually as well as they could in their youth. The problem is not severe enough to warrant a medical advice but serious enough to deter from looking for a dating partner.
The solution to this problem is a systematic and positive approach. Obviously, our bodies do not stay the same, we all change with time. But it has been proven time and again that by keeping eating healthy and keeping fit we can be active for a longer period of time.
As a youngster, we might ignore our health and develop poor eating habits. This attitude needs to change as we get older. Focusing on a good diet, ensuring an adequate amount of physical activity will offset co-morbidities that seem a part and parcel of old age.
Furthermore, what we cannot fulfill through a healthy lifestyle can be made up for by taking health supplements. Modernization has allowed the combination of latest research and technology with centuries-old knowledge of medicinal plants to come together and provide solutions to our health woes.
Indeed, a variety of excellent herbal supplements are available throughout the world which is specifically made for boosting male health and sexual performance.
These supplements have the advantage of being side effect free as they do not contain any pharmaceutical agent, just natural herb extracts with proven benefit. The only glitch is to make sure that one is purchasing a genuine product and not some quack product with potentially harmful ingredients.
In a nutshell
It is rightly said that the only thing constant is change. Dating at any age is normal, but we need to realize that though our basic nature, needs and desires are same, our bodies are not.
So, the answer would be to adapt to these changes. Given the choice between leading an unhealthy, lonely life and putting in some efforts to look better, healthier in order to be in a relationship, I think anyone sane would choose the latter.
