Although some women see menopause as a remission of their periods and fear of unwanted pregnancies, certain discomforts can appear during this period that put a brake on your sexual experience. With a few tips, you can happily breathe new life into your sex life.

Why libido drops with menopause

After menopause, your estrogen and testosterone levels drop drastically, which undeniably affects your sexual drive. Menopausal and postmenopausal women may find that they no longer get excited so easily, that they are less sensitive to touches and caresses and thus sometimes lose interest in sex.

These fluctuations in hormones also have an effect on your mood. It is not uncommon to suffer from irritability, anxiety, or depression during this period. These mood swings can also have a major influence on your sexual libido.

The lower estrogen levels also reduce the blood flow to the vagina. As a result, the vagina can become drier and less elastic, which makes sex painful and unpleasant. Also, persistent urinary tract infections can appear.

In addition, with age, you are more likely to have health problems. Chronic diseases can develop and it is easier to get injured. As a result, your energy reserves become depleted, you experience physical pain more often and your own body image can change. These factors all affect your sex drive.

Tips to improve sex life after menopause

• You can tackle vaginal dryness with water-soluble lubricants. Do not use lubricants that are not water-soluble, such as petroleum jelly, because they can affect latex, the material from which condoms are made. In addition, they can provide a breeding ground for bacteria, especially in people whose immune systems have been weakened by chemotherapy.
• Vaginal dryness due to the lower estrogen level can be solved with hormone therapy. There are various treatments that you can opt for including vaginal rings, tablets or creams. Discuss the different options with your doctor.
• You can also choose organic ingredients or supplements.There are a number of products on the market that use ingredients such as dong quai, black cohosh, and soy isoflavones. These substances mimic estrogens so that they balance the levels in the body.
• Couples therapy is also an option or a group conversation with other women in which you talk about your experiences. This can help to put menopause into perspective, to better accept yourself and to improve intimacy with your partner.
• Have sex frequently. The more sex you have (with penetration), the more your vaginal zone will relax. The amount of moisture will also improve as a result.