Sex drive wanes with age in both men and women. Women in their 40s and 50s are however twice or thrice as likely to experience the loss of libido compared to their male counterparts. While testosterone declines gradually in men, women experience a sharp drop in hormone levels during menopause leading to mood swings, hot flashes, fatigue and vaginal dryness all of which can quickly dampen sexual arousal.
The transition to menopause brings about biological changes that affects your sex routine, but this certainly does not signal the end to a fulfilling sex life! Here are some tips for maintaining an active and healthy sex life with your partner.
Lube Up
Making sex comfortable is the first step in rebuilding desire. During menopause, loss of estrogen causes vaginal dryness and thinning of vaginal walls that can result in uncomfortable or even painful intercourse. To help with pain and discomfort, opt for water-based vaginal moisturisers or lubricants as these are ideal for sensitive and thinned skin that is more prone to irritation. For application, gently rub the lubricant into the vulva and to the inside of the vagina. If longer-lasting wetness is needed, apply a silicone-based lubricant on top of the water-based lubricant to seal in the moisture.
Create New Experiences
Thinning of the vagina walls can make certain sex positions painful or less pleasurable than before. If there are sex positions that you’ve been curious to try out with your partner, take this transition into a new life stage as a cue for both parties to try something different! Get creative with foreplay or experiment with new sex toys to rev up your sex drive.
Find the right products to rebalance your body
Having to deal with hot flashes and irritability can make a woman feel anything but sexy. Along with night sweats that disrupt sleep and cause fatigue, all these factors could really put a woman off sex. During this transition, there is no shame in rebalancing yourself with medications and getting that extra support to help you feel your best.
Up till early 2000s, estrogen pills was the standard prescribed drug for relieving menopausal symptoms. New research however, has pointed to the various adverse side effects that comes with hormone therapy, making it an unsuitable treatment for certain women – especially for individuals with breast cancer, cardiovascular and liver problems.
Phytor Wellness: Menopause was designed as a safe hormone-free alternative for women to manage menopause naturally, without the many side effects that comes with estrogen. The formula consists of a unique combination of herbs such as Eclipta prostrata, used for alleviating hot flashes and ameliorating low mood and Morus alba fruit extract, which has been scientifically proven to reduce menopausal symptoms and stimulate the production of estrogen and progesterone in the body naturally, and more effectively than isoflavones!
Explore your options, keep an open mind and know that a healthy and fulfilling sex life is definitely possible even as you approach menopause.
References
Wattanathorn, J., Kawvised, S., Thukham-mee, W. (2019). Encapsulated Mulberry Fruit Extract Alleviates Changes in an Animal Model of Menopause with Metabolic Syndrome. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2019, 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/5360560
Sánchez-Salcedo, E. M., Mena, P., García-Viguera, C., Hernández, F., & Martínez, J. J. (2015). (Poly)phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of white (Morus alba) and black (Morus nigra) mulberry leaves: Their potential for new products rich in phytochemicals. Journal of Functional Foods, 18, 1039–1046. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2015.03.053
Kang, E. Y., Kim, H. K., Jung, J. Y., Kim, J. H., Woo, T. K., Choi, J. I., Kim, J. H., Ahn, C., Lee, H. G., & Go, G. W. (2021). Combined Extract of Leonurus japonicus Houtt, Eclipta prostrata L., and Pueraria lobata Ohwi Improved Hot Flashes and Depression in an Ovariectomized Rat Model of Menopause. Foods, 10(1), 180. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10010180
