Sex After Menopause: How to Rekindle Your Libido and Intimacy

People value sex highly, as this vital activity brings them good mood, pleasure, and joy of living. People in their 70s and beyond may as well enjoy their sexuality and many do so. Unfortunately, many women lose their sex drive after menopause due to physiological and psychological causes. This negatively affects both women and their partners’ sexual lives as well as other aspects of their health, relationship, and well-being.

In today's article, we would talk about how to rekindle your libido and intimacy in the postmenopausal years. We will share tips and precautions you need to know about when it comes to approaching sex after menopause.

Sex Matters, See Why

Sex is a complex area of life, including physical, mental, and emotional components.

The situation differs for women who have always had a low libido or were asexual compared to those with a higher libido. Our blog aims to help the majority of women after menopause either maintain their usual level of sexual drive or enhance it.

Sex matters at any age; women usually enjoy satisfying consensual sexual activity throughout their lifetime, and that’s how it should be under healthy conditions.

We’ve summarized some health benefits of sex below:

• Sex boosts the immune system.
• Sex relieves stress.
• Sex improves sleep.
• Sex lowers the risk of heart attack.
• Sex reduces pain.
• Sex counts as physical exercise.

Couples who have sex more often are usually happier, more relaxed in their relationship, and have mutual energy to overcome any life challenges.

Start with Easy Things for Sexual Health

Before considering therapy or medication, it’s better to start with easily accessible options. Bring your sleeping schedule in order, try to get help with children, start regular simple exercising (even 10 min a day), and consider yoga, meditation, or mindfulness.

You may switch to a healthy diet, quit smoking or at least put it on pause to test the immediate results. Note that alcohol abuse puts you more under risk.

Set a goal of improving your self-esteem:

• Stop comparing yourself to others.
• Practice self care.
• Treat yourself as you do treat others - your partner or your child.
• Work on your inner self.
• Practice gratitude.

Counterintuitive advice if you don’t fancy sex due to low libido: try to have more sex, at least for a month as an experiment. The vagina comprises muscle tissue. Like any muscle, if it's not used frequently, it can shrink and lose tone. So - "Use it or lose it".

The skin in the vaginal area becomes thinner and more fragile during menopause, so tearing and bleeding during intercourse can occur. Ironically, more frequent vaginal sex and masturbation can make the vagina less prone to tearing since it increases blood flow and moisture to the area. All the more reason to keep up your sex life if you can!

If painful, try using a moisturizer or lubricant, and if that doesn't help, talk to your doctor.

Hormone Therapy and Other Treatments

There is a wide range of helpful treatments available for women to improve their sex drive after menopause. Below is some general information to refer to. All medical treatments should be conducted by doctors at all times.

Hormone therapy, for example, can help alleviate symptoms by balancing out the estrogen levels, which in turn can stabilize mood swings, enhance energy balance, and boost sexual interest. Some other medically prescribed remedies are narrowly focused on specific areas such as low libido or vaginal discomfort.

Diagnosis and treatment should always be guided by a certified healthcare professional who can look into your case specifically and tailor the most appropriate course of action. Therefore, we won’t elaborate on this topic further and will showcase other approaches instead.

Communication with your Partner and your Doctor

We’ve mentioned a doctor’s role here; yet many women feel embarrassed and usually don't discuss sexual matters either with their doctor or their partner. Too many women think those symptoms are a natural part of aging so they cope with them as if they are a new normal.

Please don’t suffer in silence; talk to your doctor! Proactively bring up all of your symptoms with your doctor. Then they will find appropriate treatment for you or connect you with a therapist.

The same applies to your intimate partner: try to rebuild a good relationship with them by communicating your concerns and needs.

Choose a time when you feel relaxed and positive; plan what you need to say; mind your tone of voice; speak from the heart; talk about what you actually need; respect your partner's boundaries. If either of you struggles to open up despite these efforts, consider working with a therapist individually or as a couple.

Interestingly, opening up to your partner can really help them start a conversation. Over time, you may address religious or cultural concerns that you might have about sex - such as what is a normal expected frequency of intercourse or what can boost mutual sexual pleasure.

Orgasms After Menopause: Yes, You Totally Can

Orgasm is a peak of sexual activity - a great feeling of intense physical pleasure and release of muscle tension. A significant amount of women have never had a full-fledged orgasm in their lives; yet why not learn how during calmer years after menopause?

Tips on how to become orgasmic after menopause include:

• Kegel squeeze (muscle that you use to stop urination)
• Lube is your best friend (can even use a coconut oil or vitamin E)
• Focus on foreplay
• Try different forms of erotica
• Dress up in lingerie
• Toys, toys, toys
• Sex positions to control how sex feels for you
• Right ambience (serenity, massage, oils, music, candles)

Conclusion

Outsmarting menopause and reviving healthy sex drive stands high chances for a woman who is dedicated to regaining her enjoyable orgasmic sex life.

By studying symptoms, treating real causes with adequate remedies, timely talking to her partner and her doctor, revising her lifestyle and adopting healthy habits - such a woman has every chance to continue enjoying sex after menopause even well into her senior years.