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Top 10 to revive your sex drive during menopause

There a innumerable factors involved with drop down in sex drive during perimenopause and menopause. Besides, the female sex drive is multifactorial, the desire to make love is not only influenced by physical issues, but emotional ones as well. Once a woman stops ovulating, she tends to automatically lose the regularly scheduled boost in her sex drive that has been present since puberty (just before ovulation ). Around menopause, there is less estrogen circulating in your body, that can bring a drop in your sex drive. Without it, not only can desire take a dive, vaginal tissue begins to dry and shrink. As a result, intercourse can become uncomfortable, or even painful. Avoiding sex because of pain only leads to more pain. Women tend to be caught in a vicious cycle.

Decreased libido is thought to be due to lowered levels of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone present in your body during menopause. Each of these hormones has a specific role to play in making you experience sexual desire. Estrogen helps you to feel heightened sensitivity during sexual intercourse. Progesterone keeps your libido up. Testosterone, a male sex hormone, boosts sexual desire and lubricates your vagina. When these hormones drop, so does your overall desire for sexual intercourse. Besides, surfacing symptoms like vaginal dryness, depression, appearance, fatigue all add up to the problem. 

Before opting for hormonal therapy or along with therapy, do try these options to revive your sex life during menopause.

Take a diet rich in vitamins and phytoestrogen:  B-Complex Vitamins � vitamins B-1, B-2 and B-3 are necessary for healthy sex drive. You can find vitamin B-1 in grains and nuts. Vitamin B-2 is found in bananas, broccoli and lean meats. Vitamin B-3 creates improved blood flow and is important for sex hormones and to increase sexual desire. Vitamin E helps with sex hormone production and improves circulation - it is found in whole grains, fruits and vegetables. A wealth of research in recent years has shown that a regular intake of phytoestrogens throughout the day can play a useful part in a menopause control programme in a similar way to HRT. In fact, although phytoestrogens are only about 1/1000th as potent as animal-based estrogen, they are fast becoming known as great hormone regulators owing to their balancing effects on estrogen levels. Two particular forms of phytoestrogen are useful in controlling menopausal symptoms. They are: isoflavones, found in soya products and red clover; and lignans found in flaxseeds (linseeds).

Review current medications and medical conditions- Many prescription medications � including antidepressants, blood pressure medications and chemotherapy drugs � are notorious libido killers. Antihistamines also can diminish your sex drive. Although one cannot do away with these medications you can try homeopathy and dietary modification to minimize the side effect of these drugs.

Adjust lovemaking activities. Try warm baths before genital sexual activity, extend foreplay, incorporate massages, change your sexual routine, experiment with positions, discuss sexual fantasies. All these activities will promote relaxation and eliminate anxiety. Also, by experimenting different positions you can minimize any pain you may be experiencing by controlling the depth of penetration. Burning essential oils, such as jasmine, rose, ylang ylang, clary sage or sandalwood, may heighten your enjoyment.

Use lubrication. Using lubricants during sex can make intercourse less painful and more enjoyable. Though lubricants will not provide long-term relief for your low libido, it can provide temporary relief. Today�s modern, sensual, water-based lubricants can actually enhance sex in addition to making it more comfortable. For example, Play More Lubricant provides women with a smooth, slick feeling that is not sticky and feels natural.

Exercise most days of the week- Menopausal women experience pain during intercourse because the vaginal tissues become less elastic, drier and thinner. Furthermore, appetite for sex is greatly decreased because of the decline in clitoral sensitivity. One way to boost sexual pleasure and tissue elasticity is by regularly performing Kegel exercises, which was designed by Dr. Arnold Kegel. If you want to see dramatic improvement in your sexual pleasure and vaginal elasticity, you need to perform these exercises regularly, not less than five times a day.  Shoot for 3 or 4 days of cardio exercise like running, walking, swimming  or any activity you enjoy. Don't forget that sex burns calories. Sure, it has to be fairly vigorous to get your heart rate going, but a 130-lb person can burn about seven calories per five minutes of vigorous sex. Keep it up for an hour, and you'll burn off 88 calories...not bad for having a little fun, plus, you will impress your mate with your incredible endurance.

Consume alcohol moderately A glass of wine may make you feel amorous, but too much alcohol can spoil your sex drive; the same is true of street drugs. Too much alcohol can delay a woman�s orgasm. This can add to the sexual side effects already experienced in later life. Alcohol aggravates flushes, insomnia and, in excess, can worsen or cause many nutritional deficiencies at a time when you need to be conserving essential nutrients.

Commit to new stress-management practices, like acupuncture, biofeedback, or yoga- Research has found that most women who participated in different acupuncture studies found relief from menopausal symptoms including, Hot flashes, insomnia, stress, anxiety and vaginal dryness. Yoga increases flexibility in the body. Also it tones the body muscles and providing the body the strength to improve the sexual experience. With flexibility, you can enjoy, discover and perform new and more exciting sexual positions.

Talk to your partner- tell your partner about your symptoms, how they are affecting the way you experience sex, and what you both can do to improve your sex life (choose a time when both of you are relaxed). Stress incontinence  might occur during lovemaking for some women. The best thing you can do if you are concerned about this is talk with your partner. Your partner is more likely to be accepting of the situation and help you feel comfortable if something like this were to happen if you are honest with them from the start. Sharing your concerns will also eliminate any unexpected 'surprises' during lovemaking, so that a little incontinence doesn't become a big deal. So many fluids are exchanged during sex anyway a little incontinence is likely to get lost in the throws of passion.

Try Supplements: Unless your menopausal symptoms are severe, you actually do not need HRT. Instead of taking this artificial hormone replacement treatment, it may be better to just take Black Cohosh and Chasteberry supplements. Black Cohosh is effective in maintaining the normal levels of estrogen in your body. As a result, most of the symptoms that are related to hormonal imbalance can be reduced. Another herb that can make a tremendous effect in correcting hormonal imbalance and vaginal changes is Chasteberry. An all-natural supplement that can also help boost your sex drive is Zalestra, which contains Black Cohosh, Green Tea extracts, and other nutrients that are helpful in reducing menopausal symptoms.

Educate Yourself: about your anatomy, sexual function, and the normal changes associated with aging, as well as sexual behaviors and responses. This may help you overcome your anxieties about sexual function and performance.

Going through menopause can be exhausting. Feeling good about yourself when everything is changing, from your waistline to your sex life, can be challenging. Often, non-hormonal options may rescue a lagging libido and spice up your sex life. Reduced need for sex and a declining drive are not medical problems -- and if they don't cause you distress, there is no need to seek treatment.
 

The best medicine for women during menopause is to have a positive attitude, a strong support system already established. An understanding supportive partner, children who know and accept what is happening, and other women friends who may be at the same stage of their lives � these factors will make the transition a helluva lot easier and let you get on with it! 

Dated 08 December 2011

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