How Does Menopause Affect Sex Drive?

The loss of libido or the “hypoactive sexual desire disorder,” is a common menopausal complaint among women. For many women, a diminished desire for the physical act of sex itself, as well as being able to feel aroused or even having sexual thoughts, is a distressful change of “that time of life.” Additional stress is applied to menopausal women, mainly because their spouse or partner's frustration and a woman's guilt. Sexual desires, generally wane as women get older, but to throw menopause into the mix is even more of a psychological burden. Some women enjoy sex during menopause and others don't even want to think about sex.

 

There is a physical response to becoming aroused, but there is a large psychological component to it as well. When women loses interest in sex during menopause, many believe that it is normal, but this is not true and as such, their personal relationships takes on new dynamics. During the menopause transition, the physical side effects of decreased estrogen levels, troublesome hot flashes, disturbing night sweats and vaginal dryness, all can take away sexual motivation, drive and desire. The lack of estrogen, during menopause, causes the vaginal wall lining, to become thinner and normal moisture is not present, this can cause painful intercourse. Lower levels of estrogen causes a decrease in the blood supply to the vagina, which affects lubrication and can lead to a shrinkage in the vagina and painful sexual intercourse.

 

Once the ovaries stop producing hormones, women can feel like they are in a constant state of premenstrual tensions, thus feeling desirable and sexy is not on a woman's daily agenda. It, however, is important to note, that the loss of sexual interest during menopause is a common occurrence, which affects nearly 20% to 40% of women. During menopause, there are three major hormones that are contributory to a women's loss of sexual energy and drive.

 

Progesterone is a hormone that is vital in the preparation of the endometrium, for implantation of the egg, its maintenance during pregnancy, and its maintenance for a normal, sexual health environment. When its levels drop during menopause, it contributes to fatigue, irregular menses, and lack of sexual desire. Progesterone neuropsychological tests and studies have been conducted on menopausal women, with results that proved how a drop in this hormone affects memory, cognition, and affected the sex hormone binding “globulin.”

 

Estrogen is the leading star in a woman's hormone levels by playing a vital role in female reproduction and organs. It aides in increased sexual sensations, aides in vaginal lubrication and healthy vaginal tissues. As with estrogen, during menopause, women produce less androgens or testosterone levels. It seems to suppress libido drive and causes sexual dysfunctions. Progesterone is the mother figure of these three hormones because as estrogen decreases, progesterone steps up to prepare the body for its changes. It also aids in reducing many of the menopausal symptoms that cause hot flashes, mood swings, and lack of energy, night sweats, and more.

 

When a woman reaches menopausal age, if she doesn't have regular intercourse, their vagina becomes narrower and shorter. During menopause, if a women doesn't exercise her vaginal tissues, she is subject to atrophic vaginitis which is an inflammation of the vagina with a discharge. This vaginal symptom occurs early during menopause or after years of non-activity. There are a number of hormonal symptomatic reasons, why a woman's sexual drive decreases, many of which include stress, sleep interruptions, anxiety, and other health concerns. The jury is still out of whether lower estrogen or other hormonal levels, remain the culprit for a lower sex drive, during menopause, but studies still remain the stronger indicator because of the drastic chemical changes that take place within the body.