How Can A Woman Increase Her Sex Drive During And After Menopause?

The number of potential sexual problems during menopause can be simply overwhelming.  However, there are just as many strategies and treatments available to help a woman overcome these issues and regain her sex drive.  

Rarely does one problem have a single solution and most often treating sexual dysfunction issues requires a comprehensive approach.

Making some healthy changes to one’s lifestyle can make a huge difference in the desire for sex.  The following things can be beneficial and boost your sex life:

• Avoid excessive alcohol consumption because it can blunt sexual desire.
• Quit smoking (if you do) because it restricts blood flow throughout the body and less blood to the sexual organs could result in decreased sexual arousal and orgasmic response.
• Get regular exercise because it will increase your stamina, boost your body image and elevate your mood.
• Get rid of stress and find a better way of coping with work, personal and financial stress.
• Communicate with your partner in an honest way, because it will help you maintain a stronger emotional connection.
• Make time for leisure and relaxation, because it will allow you to wind down and focus on your sexual desire and it can help you attain a more satisfying arousal and orgasm.
• Become experimental with your sexuality.  Couples often become bored and it can result in loss of libido.  You can try some different positions, using sex toys and engaging in extra foreplay to help each other relax.

Can hormone replacement therapy help increase a menopausal woman’s libido?   

About 40% of women experience sexual dysfunction during midlife, with decreased libido being the most common occurrence.  Around half of all menopausal women report having a decrease in sexual desire in comparison to a quarter of all premenopausal women.  The ovaries and adrenal glands produce about 50% of the testosterone circulating in a woman’s body, the other half comes from the ovaries.  Testosterone production is lower during menopause and it can lead to a decreased libido.

There has been a long debate on the use of oral contraceptive pills on libido.  Physically, oral contraceptives will lead to a decrease in ovarian androgen production.  In theory, the decrease in free testosterone could lower libido.  However, more study is needed, to determine whether or not using oral contraceptives can increase the libido in a menopausal woman.

See Also: Contraceptive Options For Women Approaching The Menopause

Prognosis

Though it can be frustrating and troubling to lose your libido during menopause, it does not have to ruin your sex life and cause relationship issues with your partner.  When a woman is dealing with a low libido during menopause, there are many home remedies, lifestyle modifications and medical treatments to consider, which can be extremely helpful.  If you are going through menopause and suffering from low libido, you should not let the issue go on without consulting with your gynecologist to see what kinds of options you have available.