Perimenopause is when women are near menopause and experience different moods and bodily changes, such as low sexual drive. But people wonder if this is the case and if perimenopause and low sex drive are linked.
Perimenopause is described as the period before a woman reaches menopause, and usually, take a couple of years - four years on average. Note that the Perimenopause period may differ from one woman to another. For some, it may last for years, while for others just a few months.
It may begin anywhere after 35 years or sometimes earlier depending upon your lifestyle choices and other medical complications. During this period, a woman begins to experience the most common symptoms of menopause. Since Perimenopause happens when a woman still has her monthly periods, it may be a period characterized by a lot of confusion. Such confusion often leads women to believe that they have hit menopause which isn’t actually the case and the fact that they are just going through a transitional phase is dealt with a lot of misconceptions ultimately leading to immense psychological effects.
The fluctuations of hormones during the Perimenopause stage may lead to mood swings, irritability, anxiety, weight gain, and increased headaches. Other symptoms of Perimenopause include vaginal dryness, breast tenderness, increased PMS, hot flushes, night sweats and changing periods regarding the duration of the period or the cycle length. Decreased sex drive is yet another symptom of Perimenopause.
Women find it not only disappointing but also frustrating, especially when it is interfering with a person's relationship. It may take a while before a woman realizes what is happening to her body, especially because this stage comes several years before menopause. Thankfully, your doctor can help you determine if you are entering the Perimenopause phase of your life by conducting several tests.
So, what is the relationship between Perimenopause stage and sex drive?
Among the major causes of low libido during the perimenopause stage is a dip in progesterone – a hormone linked to ovulation. The majority of women – in the absence of any physical problems – experience a surge in sex drives around the ovulation time due to increased levels of progesterone.
So, the problem comes in when ovulation stops being consistent due to Perimenopause. A woman begins to experience anovulatory cycles where they have menses, but they don’t ovulate. Therefore, the absence of ovulation means that the progesterone levels do not rise. This, in turn, translates to diminished interest in sex and libido.
Perimenopause is also characterized by lower levels of estrogen than before hitting this stage. When the amount of estrogen being produced by the body is low, a woman stops feeling the same pleasure from both physical touch and sexual intercourse. Besides, estrogen is responsible for putting you in the mood for sex.
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Further, the absence of sufficient amounts of estrogen may lead to vaginal dryness and the thinning of the vaginal tissue, which makes sex not only uncomfortable but also painful for a good number of women. Painful sex is never pleasurable. It makes a woman disinterred in sex, and this has the potential to kill her sexual desire.
Imbalance in testosterone
Testosterone is mostly thought of as a male hormone. However, women also have but in lower quantities. In women, testosterone is produced in the ovaries in small amount and helps in maintaining the overall health of the female sex organs along with the dominant female sex hormone which is estrogen. When a woman enters Perimenopause, the levels of testosterone reduce even more. Also known as a sex hormone, testosterone plays a significant role in a woman’s sex drive.
As such, significantly lower levels mean that her sex drive also takes a drop. Testosterone is also fundamental to vaginal lubrication, and just like estrogen, reduced levels leads to vaginal dryness which causes discomfort or pain during sex.
Perimenopause is obviously enough grief. So, when you bring in the struggles of low sex drive, the situation could become unbearable. Do not let the situation get out of hand. Initial symptoms should be immediately acknowledged and should be followed by corrective measures. Speak to your doctor to help you understand how to deal with this change. Your doctor may also recommend hormone replacement therapy that involves the use of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone creams.
Besides offering the above treatments, your doctor will recommend lifestyle adjustments. Some lifestyle factors have been linked to low sex drive during Perimenopause. They include;
- If you are a cigarette smoker, it is advisable that you quit at the earliest opportunity. Alcohol is also not good for your libido. These substances are known to constrict blood flow and in turn, negatively interfere with the overall health and functioning of the vascular system. Smoking and drinking are also associated with a decrease in estrogen and in hormone imbalance which leads to poor performance in the bed.
- Consume foods that contain good fats. Foods like avocados, cheddar cheese, olive oil, eggs, nuts such as cashew, almonds, pistachios, and walnuts contain healthy fats. Fatty fishes like tuna and salmon are rich in protein, good fats and also have a huge amount of Omega-3. Omega 3 fatty acids are critical to the functioning of the cell membranes. You need enough levels of cholesterol for your body to generate sufficient amounts of sex hormones.
- Engage in regular exercises to ensure a strong heart and in turn, increase the flow of blood to all the relevant tissues. Regular exercises also stimulate the release of endorphins and as well as serotonin levels that play a crucial role in your sex drive.
Ensure that the body tissues are adequately hydrated by drinking at least eight glasses of water. When your brain is dehydrated, it is impossible for you to experience sexual fantasies. Proper hydration cleanses your body inside and out, max up your physical performance in every aspect and also helps in vaginal lubrication.
In essence, the discussion was about perimenopause, and low sexual desires were elaborated. In this regard, we hope the information associated with these two factors can help people make wise decisions to maintain their sexual desire.
One Worst Women’s Sexual Health Myth That Won’t Die
Some women believe in no sex during the menstrual period!
Many women feel uncomfortable during their menstrual period and that informs the belief that there should not be any sexual encounter. In some cases, religious beliefs that a woman is unclean, has played a big role in discouraging sex when a woman is having her regular menstrual period. This has been a very misplaced notion and a great discouragement to the women folks. Many will attest to having had a great sexual experience during this time.
It is true that there is no proper timetable for having sex. It is generally agreed that sexual encounter should be preceded with willingness among the partners involved. No scientific evidence has been adduced to show the negative side effects of having sex during the menstrual period. This discharge is very normal and in order. If a woman has a problem with not attending to her monthly period that is a serious medical condition that must be attended to by a medical doctor.
Ask Us Questions Related To Perimenopause And Low Sexual Desire
What is the relation between low libido and menopause?
A woman’s ovary produces eggs at about day 14 of a 28-day menstrual cycle. This bodily activity favors a woman to get pregnant and remain in high libido with sufficient production of estrogen and progesterone hormone. Menopause lowers down sex drive because ovaries stop producing eggs. Studies say that many women still have satisfying sex beyond menopause with a change in their lifestyle.
How can a woman overcome low libido post-menopause?
Your children are grown-up and settled in their life so you have sufficient time for exercising. Be regular in your exercising schedule. It boosts your mood and enhances stamina. Such changes in your body increase your libido and you crave a romantic hug of your husband. Communicate with your partner how you want to add spice in your married life. Such a drive would make your married life more blissful that earlier.
Which new trait is emerging in our women’s minds with respect to their menopause?
A different trait is spreading in society. Women are becoming more prone to sex enjoyment after menopause. The fear of unwanted pregnancy fades out totally with menopause. It motivates them to add spice in their married life and be romantic once again like newly-wed couples.
Do family beliefs have any relevance with low libido?
Sometimes a woman’s family beliefs and values temper down her expectations about sexual activity. Adopting a new hobby can break that hurdles. It helps a woman to spend time with her. Gradually, she becomes more positive about sex. She thinks that she has brought up her kids but not old for romance.
How can vaginal dryness be cured at home?
The decrease in sex hormones leads to vaginal dryness in women. You can apply oil here before initiating intimacy with your partner. Watching intimate scenes also provokes sex drive in your moods. Share your desires with your partner. This can help you to enjoy pleasant sex.
Can perimenopause cost low sexual desire in a woman?
Perimenopause can cause lower sexual desire in women, being the stage the woman undergoes before menopause, the ability of the hormones in the woman’s body to function, fluctuates during perimenopause and this situation aside causing issues such as irritability, headaches and mood swings for the woman, can also affect her sexual desire and libido as the hormones are not stable at this point.
A lot of reasons are responsible for this low sexual desire seen in women as a result of perimenopause this includes ovulation, a woman’s sex drive is often at the highest around the time of her ovulation, during the period of perimenopause ovulation does not come regularly for the woman and research has shown that a lack of ovulation, reduces a woman’s ability to respond to pleasure, as the body cannot respond as it used to when regular ovulation is experienced.
Another leading cause of low libido in women during perimenopause is a decrease in the progesterone level of the woman, the progesterone level which helps a woman to develop a greater desire for sex decreases during perimenopause resulting to a decline and decrease level for sex. perimenopause is a medical condition and when experienced seeking advice from the doctor or a sex therapist is best advised in other to retain sexual activeness.
Can perimenopause cause lower estrogen levels in women?
The same way the progesterone level decreases in women during perimenopause, so also does estrogen levels for women. The resultant effect that comes with a reduced estrogen level in women is that the level of pleasure felt by the woman from physical touch and sexual intercourse reduces making it difficult for the woman to desire sex more.
The estrogen level is responsible for elevating mood in women, making the woman interested in sex, the lack of estrogen can also cause dryness of the vaginal and also reduce the size of the vaginal tissue, which makes intercourse painful and uncomfortable for most women. This pain reduces a woman’s desire for sex.