A woman’s sexual drive naturally fluctuates over the years. The factors affecting the sex drive’s highs and lows vary. However it has a lot to do with major changes in life – be it physical, emotional, psychological or lifestyle changes.
What are the common symptoms of a low sex drive?
- Having little to no interest in any sexual activity (intercourse or masturbation)
- Little to no episodes of sexual thoughts
As was previously mentioned, physical change can affect the increase or decrease of a woman’s libido. One of the specific changes are hormonal changes brought by menopause. Menopause is when a woman stops getting her period permanently. At this point, there are other changes that a woman may undergo other than the end of the menstrual cycle.
Some women notice a decrease in their libido when they go through menopause. This is not true to everyone, of course, as there are also women who continue to have an increased libido even after menopause. However, the main reason why some women have lower sex drive during menopause is because of decreased hormone levels.
What happens to a woman’s body during menopause?
Menopause negatively affects the sex drive. During menopause, both testosterone and estrogen levels drop, which as a result, lessens responsiveness to sexual stimulants, dry vaginal tissues causing uncomfortable intercourse. Ultimately, this leads to difficulty getting aroused and/or a woman to become less interested in sex.
In addition, a woman may also experience night sweats or what we call hot flashes which causes discomfort in women and at the same time, makes women feel too tired to engage in a sexual activity. Also, because of the changes that a woman undergoes during menopause, it can sometimes lead to them feeling anxious, insecure, and even depressed that only make them veer away from sex.
Other menopausal symptoms that contribute to libido decrease include:
- Depression and anxiety;
- Weight gain or weight loss;
- Sleeping problems;
- Hot flashes; and
- Mood swings
In general, not only do these affect a woman’s sex drive, these also affect a woman’s relationships and way of life.
What are the remedies?
Seeking medical help is the best action to take as the doctor can definitely help you with treatment. However, there are also other known remedies which also work. For instance, changing lifestyle habits, or resorting to sex aids can be done to try to increase sex drive.
One of the known treatments for decreased libido is Hormone Therapy (HRT) where a woman ingests estrogen pills which help do away with dryness in the vagina. This also has some risks, which is why it is much better to consult a doctor before proceeding with any treatment or even doing self-treatment.
Outside of Hormonal Therapy, there are also other remedies that have been proven to work. These are the following:
Use of vaginal creams – Since a woman experiences vaginal dryness during menopause causing painful sex, it helps to use a vaginal cream to keep the lady parts moisturized.
Diet – Weight gain or weight loss can occur from menopause. Physical insecurities can then come up. To address this issue, it helps to keep a healthy and balanced diet to keep the body strong and in shape.
Enough Sleep – It is known that stress causes fatigue, weight gain and more often than not, takes its toll on the emotional and mental health. At menopause, hot flashes also become an issue. This is why it’s important to get a good night’s rest to make sure the body can get the care that it needs.
Exercise and Meditation – Physical activities like exercise and meditation are known to boost happy hormones which help combat the anxiety and depression which a woman may undergo during menopause.
These are the things that a woman can do to address the decreased sex drive upon menopause.