There are many reasons why younger men fall for older women, but most commonly, he admires her maturity and experience associated with being an older person. An older woman can also become more confident than a younger woman, and men are extremely attracted to confidence.
Some conveyed that the attention of an older woman boosted their own level of confidence and self-esteem. Others recognized that older women have more life experience, emotionally stability, grounding, and can offer both honesty and different perspectives.
If you're dating someone younger or your age, you grow together, share the same perspectives and have the same or limited understanding of each other. But an older woman brings a fresher and newer perspective to your life and helps you grow with her experience, her wisdom and her ability to understand a lot more.
In short, research seems to indicate that in many cultures, an age gap of 1 to 3 years is considered ideal — but some researchers suggest even a relationship with an age gap of less than 10 years will bring more satisfaction.
She finds the relationship more exciting
A younger man is high on energy and more open to new experiences. He may be more willing to experiment and take off on an impromptu adventure. Older men may not be able to be as risky. This quality adds excitement to a relationship between an older woman and a younger man.
Gerontophilia is the primary sexual attraction to the elderly. A person with such a sexual preference is a gerontophile or gerontosexual. The word gerontophilia was coined in 1901 by psychiatrist Richard von Krafft-Ebing. It derives from Greek: geron, meaning "old person" and philia, meaning "friendship".
Age should not be a barrier to love and companionship. There is no reason why a relationship between an older woman and younger man cannot work long term, provided both partners are committed and willing to put in the work.
A relationship age gap bigger than 10 years often comes with its own set of issues. “While there are always exceptions to rules, a good rule to remember is that dating someone more than 10 years older will present challenges now or later that add to the preexisting challenges any relationship has,” he says.
The truth is, there is no ideal or appropriate age gap in a relationship. Whether it's a 20 year age gap relationship or a 5 year age gap relationship, there will be both challenges and benefits to your situation.
“When there is a significant difference in age, like 10 to 15 years or more, life experiences can be vastly different.” In relationships with a large emotional maturity gap, the more mature partner could end up carrying a heavier emotional load in the relationship, leading to exhaustion and potentially a breakup.
Of course there is no age limit on feeling sexy. Women and men of every age can ooze sex appeal. With changing hormones and bodies what it is often most important is your attitude and how you feel about yourself.
While men seem to be genetically predisposed to be attracted to women in their mid-to-late-20s, women tend to be attracted to men around their ages, if not older; this means men in their 30s have the best of both worlds. Men in their 30s are attractive to a wide range of women, from 20-somethings to women in their 40s.
What is the rule of 7? The rule says to date someone who is half your age plus 7 or more years. That means if you're 36, you can date someone who is 25 or older. If you're 42, you can date someone who is 28 or older.
A 2020 large-scale mate preference study across 45 countries showed that men prefer younger and attractive women while women prefer older and financially stable men (1).
Potential downsides of dating older women
She may be more mature than you — she may act like your mother if you're not emotionally mature. That's not healthy. She may have lots of baggage — the older you get, the more baggage you accumulate.
Relationships with a big age gap can work if you're willing to put the effort in. There are times when they can seem more difficult because of generational differences; so, it's important to common interests and goals. If your values are aligned, it doesn't really matter if there is a large age gap.
In Western countries, of male-female couples have an age-gap of 10 years or more, rising to 25% in male-male unions and 15% of female-female relationships. For some the gap is even larger – data suggests that around 1% of heterosexual couples in the US have an age difference of 28 years or more.
Does Age Really Matter in Relationships? Generally, it doesn't. A relationship depends on the understanding and connection between two individuals, regardless of their age. A couple can have a strong relationship as long as they love, respect and care for each other.
There is no exact maximum or minimum acceptable age difference considered good or bad in a relationship. Research shows that married couples with a one-year age gap have a much lower chance of separation than couples with large age gaps.
The age of consent in state laws ranges from 14 to 18; in more than half of the states, the age is 16. In addition, most state laws criminalize sexual activity only when there is a specified age difference—commonly three or four years—between the minor and his or her partner.
Fitzpatrick says that the general age gap usually accepted by society is about ten to twelve years, after which you'll probably start raising some eyebrows; "Once one partner is old enough to be the other's parent, people tend to frown."
You are emotionally mature
A younger guy approaches you with the assumption that you would have a certain level of emotional intelligence and emotional fitness. Emotional maturity is a crucial life skill and has many benefits for a relationship. You are more adept at handling conflicts. You manage your feelings well.