Divorcees have more sex than their married or single counterparts and retirees make love more often than those still in work, according the results of a survey that overturns many assumptions about Britain's bedroom habits.
Eleven per cent of divorcees have sex more than 21 times a month – almost twice as many as married Britons and more than any category including cohabiting couples, singletons and widows.
The impact of workplace stress and family life is also clear, with some retirees having twice as much sex as younger people in full-time jobs.
Experts said the findings, in a YouGov survey for The Sunday Telegraph's Stella magazine, illustrated the impact of Britain's baby boomers reaching retirement age.
The online poll of more than 1,800 Britons also found 22 per cent of men over 55 have taken the sexual potency drug, Viagra, while 37 per cent of women own a sex toy.
Trust was rated the most important aspect of a relationship, ahead of companionship, humour and financial stability – with sex in fifth place.
Seventy per cent of men watch pornography and one in 20 heterosexuals aged between 25 and 34 has experimented in sex with someone of the same gender.
Sixty-eight per cent of divorcees have sex between six and 20 times a month – more than married or single Britons (44 per cent and 38 per cent) or those cohabiting (43 per cent).
"There is a lot of rebound sex among divorcees, a sense among men perhaps that they are now 'off the leash'," said Rosie Campbell, a social psychologist with consultancy Campbell Keegan.
"When you consider that anyone reaching retirement age now will be a baby boomer who is fitter, more active and wealthier than previous generations at the same age, it is hardly surprising they are having more sex.
"Philip Larkin said sex was invented in 1963, so anyone retiring now is likely to be much less embarrassed about sex and not willing to accept a decline with age."
Twenty-nine per cent of retirees have sex more than 11 times a month, compared to 24 per cent of those in full-time work and 20 per cent in part-time work. That gap is widened among those having sex more than 21 times a month, with 11 per cent of retirees saying they do, compared with only six per cent of those in full-time work and two per cent in part-time work.
"The classic part-time worker is mother in her 40s who is juggling a career, children and a home life," said Ms Campbell. "The chances are that sex is the last thing on her mind."
On average, married people have sex nine times a month, the survey found.
Gary Fitzgibbon, a chartered psychologist and business coach, said: "The big feature of the workplace in the past 10 years has been stress, and that is clearly undermining people's capability to perform sexually. There are lots of people in work who enjoy tenderness in their marriage, but not sex.
"However, it isn't necessary to wait until retirement to improve your sex life. There are measures that can have a disproportionate and positive effect, such as regular exercise."
Most Britons (34 per cent) claimed they had the 'best sex of their life' between the ages of 25 and 34, compared to 23 per cent who said it was between 18 and 24 and only three per cent who said '55 or older' or one per cent who said 17 or younger.
Overall, one quarter of Britons has been unfaithful (25 per cent across both sexes, with 29 per cent of men and 21 per cent of woman confessing to an affair). Young people were the most faithful, with two-and-half-times as many of those aged 35-44 cheating compared to those aged 18-24.
The survey also found this year's general election is not likely to be won on sex appeal; not a single Briton said they wanted to sleep with Gordon Brown, and only five per cent said they would have sex with David Cameron, and three per cent Nick Clegg. Ninety per cent answered "none of the above".
The impact of workplace stress and family life is also clear, with some retirees having twice as much sex as younger people in full-time jobs.
Experts said the findings, in a YouGov survey for The Sunday Telegraph's Stella magazine, illustrated the impact of Britain's baby boomers reaching retirement age.
The online poll of more than 1,800 Britons also found 22 per cent of men over 55 have taken the sexual potency drug, Viagra, while 37 per cent of women own a sex toy.
Trust was rated the most important aspect of a relationship, ahead of companionship, humour and financial stability – with sex in fifth place.
Seventy per cent of men watch pornography and one in 20 heterosexuals aged between 25 and 34 has experimented in sex with someone of the same gender.
Sixty-eight per cent of divorcees have sex between six and 20 times a month – more than married or single Britons (44 per cent and 38 per cent) or those cohabiting (43 per cent).
"There is a lot of rebound sex among divorcees, a sense among men perhaps that they are now 'off the leash'," said Rosie Campbell, a social psychologist with consultancy Campbell Keegan.
"When you consider that anyone reaching retirement age now will be a baby boomer who is fitter, more active and wealthier than previous generations at the same age, it is hardly surprising they are having more sex.
"Philip Larkin said sex was invented in 1963, so anyone retiring now is likely to be much less embarrassed about sex and not willing to accept a decline with age."
Twenty-nine per cent of retirees have sex more than 11 times a month, compared to 24 per cent of those in full-time work and 20 per cent in part-time work. That gap is widened among those having sex more than 21 times a month, with 11 per cent of retirees saying they do, compared with only six per cent of those in full-time work and two per cent in part-time work.
"The classic part-time worker is mother in her 40s who is juggling a career, children and a home life," said Ms Campbell. "The chances are that sex is the last thing on her mind."
On average, married people have sex nine times a month, the survey found.
Gary Fitzgibbon, a chartered psychologist and business coach, said: "The big feature of the workplace in the past 10 years has been stress, and that is clearly undermining people's capability to perform sexually. There are lots of people in work who enjoy tenderness in their marriage, but not sex.
"However, it isn't necessary to wait until retirement to improve your sex life. There are measures that can have a disproportionate and positive effect, such as regular exercise."
Most Britons (34 per cent) claimed they had the 'best sex of their life' between the ages of 25 and 34, compared to 23 per cent who said it was between 18 and 24 and only three per cent who said '55 or older' or one per cent who said 17 or younger.
Overall, one quarter of Britons has been unfaithful (25 per cent across both sexes, with 29 per cent of men and 21 per cent of woman confessing to an affair). Young people were the most faithful, with two-and-half-times as many of those aged 35-44 cheating compared to those aged 18-24.
The survey also found this year's general election is not likely to be won on sex appeal; not a single Briton said they wanted to sleep with Gordon Brown, and only five per cent said they would have sex with David Cameron, and three per cent Nick Clegg. Ninety per cent answered "none of the above".
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