How to Increase Sex Drive After Menopause

Menopause – with the hot flushes and loss of sex drive, it’s one of the few times in life when things heating up may not be such a good thing.

Sex and menopause are two topics often discussed together, as menopause can not only affect your mood and body, but also your sex life. But, and very importantly, this doesn’t have to mean losing your sex drive completely. It’s all about adjusting to the ‘new norm’ of your body.

We know you’ve probably been given information from all angles and are no doubt the proud owner of hundreds of formal pamphlets about menopause, but we’re here to make things a little easier. We’ve gathered together all the important information on one page, to answer everything you need to know about sex after menopause.

How Does Menopause Affect Sex?

Does menopause affect sex? Short answer – yes, it can. The longer answer is around how menopause affects your sex life. Everyone is different; it’s what makes us so fabulous as humans! This is also true of menopause. How it affects you specifically will come down to your body. Some women actually experience an increase in sex drive during and after menopause, although this tends to be less common.

If we’re speaking generally about the most common effects, a large number of women report a lack of sex drive during menopause. This is due to a decrease in hormones including estrogen, which contribute to vaginal dryness and the thinning of the vaginal walls. This means you’re naturally less lubricated and more sensitive, so may experience pain with penetration after menopause.

Now, reading this, we know it can feel like the end of the world – or the end of your thriving love life at least. We’re here to tell you that is absolutely not the case. It’s a change, yes, but nothing that some small adjustments, a little extra effort, and lube can’t fix!

Does Women’s Sex Drive Return After Menopause?

If you’ve experienced a loss of sex drive due to changing hormones during menopause, this may not be something that returns naturally. Now, this doesn’t mean you’ll never crave sex again. You just need to rediscover your body and understand the physical and emotional changes that have taken place, rather than expecting things to go right back to how they were before menopause. Recognising the change in your sex drive and feelings during this time is vital – then, you can work towards increasing your sex drive yourself.

How Safe is Unprotected Sex After Menopause?

The menopause is a biological process when a woman’s periods stop and she can no longer fall pregnant naturally. Therefore, a common question about menopause and sex is whether or not protection is still needed.

It’s important to remember that menopause can be a long process. Officially, you’ve not fully experienced menopause until you’ve gone at least a year without a period. While less likely, you can still fall pregnant during this time, so should continue with your usual birth control.

Once you’ve gone through menopause you don’t have to worry about falling pregnant. However, you’re not protected from STIs, so should still practice safe sex and use condoms with any new partners to reduce the risk of a sexually transmitted infection.

How to Increase Sex Drive During Menopause

Right – onto the fun part; how to increase sex drive during menopause. As with all things sex, the most important aspects are understanding what’s happening to your body, having patience, and being prepared to put a little work in. Here are our top tips…