How Can I Increase My Sex Drive?
The fact is, you’re not alone. Millions of women ages 18-59+ suffer from a loss of interest in sex.
Known in the medical community as hypoactive sexual desire disorder (or HSDD), this is the most common form of sexual dysfunction among women.
Of course, sexual desire is a spectrum, and if you’ve always had a low libido and are happy with your current sex drive then this article isn’t for you.
However, if you used to have a sex drive and suddenly or gradually lost it, or if one day it just disappeared like Houdini, this guide on increasing sex drive in women may be able to help.
Sex Hormones and Hormonal Therapy
Female sex hormones play a critical role in both sexual development as well as desire, and in reproductive and general health. Levels of these hormones fluctuate over the span of our lives, with the biggest changes occurring during pregnancy, puberty, and pre, peri, and post-menopause.
Other factors that can have a dramatic impact on sex hormones include:
- Stress
- Certain medications
- Environment
- Diet
- And medical conditions
Although estrogen and progesterone get most of the attention, women also produce testosterone (albeit in much lower concentrations than in men). It is testosterone, in combination with other sex hormones that drives much of a woman’s libido. When these hormones get ‘out of whack’, it can cause significant emotional and physiological changes…including a loss of sexual desire. Hormone therapy can help replace low hormone levels that have naturally declined.
Hormonal Therapy
Hormonal imbalances can not only crush a healthy libido into virtual non-existence, but they can also make sex painful and uncomfortable, resulting in both a psychological and physical aversion to the act.
Potential Hormonal Therapies Include:
Sex Education and Counseling
For some women, hormones are not the problem. If your hormone panels check out ok, you may want to explore talking with a sex counselor or therapist to see if there may be any underlying psychological barriers preventing you from having a healthy and thriving sex life.
Past trauma, issues with intimacy, the stresses and anxieties of life, and more can all weigh heavily on us, often surfacing as a lack of desire. A therapist can help you work through these issues while providing you with the skills and toolsets to work through challenges and even exercises to address issues in relationships.
Lifestyle Changes
Believe it or not, your lifestyle isn’t just about your general health and well-being, it also has a major impact on your sex drive as a woman. The following won’t come as a big surprise to many of you, but it’s worth a friendly reminder nevertheless.
A Healthy, Balanced Diet: The more ‘natural’ the better. Cut out as much processed food as you can, increase consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, and reduce sugar, caffeine, and alcohol intake.
Sleep: Frankly, none of us women gets enough sleep, and there’s never enough hours in the day to get everything done. Even so, being mindful about your sleep schedule can be incredibly beneficial to your health. Lack of sleep has been associated with heart disease, diabetes, cancer, anxiety, and yes, even sexual desire. We’ve all been TOO TIRED to even care about sex.
Exercise: They don’t call it nature’s own stress reliever for nothing. Studies have continually demonstrated that even 20 minutes of exercise daily can help reduce anxiety and depression, improve mood, enhance cognition, increase overall health, ward off diseases and yes, even increase sexual desire and confidence.
Increasing Sex Drive in Women: closing thoughts
A woman’s sex drive is a part of her identity and who she is. A thriving sex life is also a key component of your overall health, well-being, and quality of life. If you’ve noticed changes in your sex drive or are unhappy about the state of your libido, we can help.
Reach out today for a consultation and to find out why so many women trust us to help increase their sex drive safely and reliably.
