8 Ways to increase libido after menopause
· Pausive Team
You used to start it, and now you can't remember the last time you wanted to. Is it age, hormones or something that switched off?
Your libido after menopause can come back when you deal with what's holding it down, with simple habits and a good menopause supplement.
Does menopause lower your libido?
For many women, yes. In a study of 3,302 US women, desire went down and pain during sex went up toward the end of perimenopause.1
Pleasure and satisfaction with a partner, though, weren't tied to menopause. Health, mood and the relationship mattered more.
So there's no age when women lose their sex drive. It tends to shift between 45 and 55, and it can almost always be helped.
Why libido drops during menopause
With less estrogen, vaginal tissue gets thinner and drier. If sex is uncomfortable or painful, it's natural for desire to fade.
Add night sweats that break your sleep, tiredness and mood swings. It's hard to want sex when you're exhausted or on edge all day.
Stress, how you feel about your body and some medications, like certain antidepressants, play a part too. It's rarely just one thing.
Testosterone, which also shapes desire, falls slowly with age. It doesn't crash at menopause, so it's rarely the only reason.
How to get your libido back, step by step
This guide covers 8 ways to increase libido after menopause, from daily support to when to talk to your doctor:
- Pausive
- Vaginal dryness
- Better sleep
- Moving more
- Talking with your partner
- Slowing down
- Stress and mood
- Your doctor
8 ways to increase libido after menopause
1. Pausive, daily support for intimate comfort
Pausive is made for what weighs on these years most: intimate comfort, hot flashes and the heat that breaks your sleep, with no hormones.
It brings the plants best studied for menopause together in one habit: 2 capsules with breakfast. With more rest and comfort, closeness gets easier.
2. Treat vaginal dryness
It's the first thing to sort out. In 60 postmenopausal women, vaginal dryness improved within 16 weeks on a soy supplement.2
A daily vaginal moisturizer and a lubricant in the moment help too. More on our menopause and sex page.
Skip scented soaps and douches, which dry the area out further. Cotton underwear also helps everything feel more comfortable.
3. Sleep better
When you sleep badly, your body saves its energy for the basics. A cool bedroom and set hours help you sleep through the night.
If night sweats wake you up, start there. Find more ideas on our menopause and sleep page.
Keep your phone out of the bedroom and eat a light dinner. A full night of sleep changes your energy and mood the next day.
4. Move more
Exercise improves circulation, mood and how you feel in your body, three things closely tied to desire.
Brisk walks, dancing or weights two or three times a week are enough. What matters is that you enjoy it and keep it up.
5. Talk with your partner
Telling them what's going on takes the pressure off you both. Keeping quiet is what pushes many couples apart.
Say what bothers you, what you like now and what you need. Feeling heard is part of wanting sex again.
If it's hard to start, do it away from the bedroom, on a walk or over dinner. It's easier to talk with no pressure in the air.
6. Give closeness more time
At this stage, arousal takes longer, and desire sometimes shows up after you start, not before. That's normal.
More touch, less rush and time alone away from the routine help your body respond. Not everything has to end in sex.
Try something new, or go back to what you both liked at the start. A little curiosity brings desire back over time.
7. Look after your mood and stress
Anxiety and irritability switch off desire faster than any hormone. Keep part of your day just for you, with nothing to do.
If mood swings are weighing on you, you're not alone. More on menopause mood swings.
8. Talk to your doctor
If sex hurts or desire doesn't come back, it's worth a visit. There are local treatments for dryness and hormonal options your doctor can weigh up.
Bring a list of what you take: some medications lower libido, and sometimes a change of dose or drug is enough.
FAQs on libido and menopause
At what age do women lose their libido?
There's no set age. Desire tends to dip toward the end of perimenopause, between 45 and 55, but many women get it back afterward.
Why does libido increase after menopause for some women?
Some women find it does. With no fear of pregnancy and more time for themselves, they feel freer. It isn't strange or a bad sign.
Does libido come back after menopause?
For many women, yes. When dryness, sleep and mood improve, desire tends to return, though sometimes in a different way than before.
What can I take for low libido in menopause?
Pausive is a good place to start: it supports intimate comfort, hot flashes and sleep, with no hormones, in 2 capsules with breakfast.
Are there pills for low libido in women?
There are prescription medications, but they have specific uses and side effects. Your doctor can tell you if one is right for you.
Does hormone therapy increase libido?
It can help, especially when dryness or pain is the problem. It isn't for everyone, so it's worth weighing up with your doctor.
Is it normal to have no sex drive in menopause?
It's very common, and it doesn't mean anything is wrong with you. If it bothers you or your relationship, it's worth getting help.
What else helps with menopause in general?
Sleeping well, moving and eating protein at every meal. Find more ideas in our guide on how to deal with menopause.
Sources
- Avis NE et al., Menopause, 2009: in the SWAN study of 3,302 US women, sexual desire fell and pain during sex rose by late perimenopause; pleasure and satisfaction weren't tied to the transition.
- Carmignani LO et al., Menopause, 2015: in a 16-week double-blind trial of 60 postmenopausal women, vaginal dryness improved significantly on a soy supplement.