Irish middle aged women have credited ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ for causing an upsurge in their sex lives.

According to a new survey Irish women in their forties are out-sexing their younger counterparts.

Sex toy retailer Lovehoney asked more than 2,000 Irish men and women between the ages of 18 and 65 about their libidos.

The Irish Daily Star reports the survey found that 47 percent of respondents who had read the E. L. James erotic novel said it actively influenced their sex lives.

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The survey asked respondents to give their libido a rating out of ten. Only one percent gave the lowest rating while 29 percent gave a score of eight of more!

The research found that women in their 30s and 40s had the highest sex drive with 17 percent giving their their libidos a 10 out of 10 rating. More than one third are having sex two to three times a week and 20 percent are enjoying nookie four to six times a week.

Over a third of people are “very happy” with their sex lives, 43 per cent are “happy.” Six percent said they were “very unhappy.”

Sex and relationship expert Julie Peasgood said: “Many women do find their arousal levels actually increase with age, and that they peak sexually in their mid-30s to 40s.”

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