Any desire worth maintaining requires attention. Intimacy is a wonderful way to reconnect with a partner. Life gets busy, though, and it can be difficult to make time for sex, as well as, create the mood. Libido, a psychological term for sexual desire, changes as people age. Some couples find sex drive ebbing, and peaking throughout their relationship. Stress, fluctuating hormones during menopause, boredom and feeling a distance or disconnect from a loved one, can make sex feel like a chore. Intimacy matures as women mature. Maddening lust mellows into comforting connections. Both men and women can lose the desire for sexual intimacy at different times in their lives. It is essential for couples to find healthy, chemical free ways to reconnect intellectually, emotionally, and socially to increase the desire for sexual intimacy.
Low Libido
Women sometimes feel acute stress, guilt, and anxiety over their lack of desire for sexual intimacy. The act of sex, as in tennis, requires a little team effort. A variety of factors, however, can influence the physical and psychological desire for intimacy. Some women experience a complete loss of sex drive. More commonly, however, women in relationships, find that it just takes more time to get into the mood.The quality of the sexual act can change as men and women age. The body and mind move through natural changes during healthy intimacy. Both couples benefit from learning to redefine the quality of their lovemaking. Signs of low libido include reluctance to initiate sex alone or with a partner, fewer sexual thoughts or fantasies, and in some instances, a complete waning desire even when intimacy has been lacking for weeks and months.
Partners have no reason to feel guilt about changes in sexual desire. Low libido is a common occurrence. It takes work to maintain relationships; the same is true of sexual intimacy. Low libido, however, may be triggered by illness, painful or dry intercourse, problems within the relationship, excessive use of drugs or alcohol, unresolved psychological issues, and menopause.
Treatment
What was once an endurance sport, racing to the finish line, may now feel similar to a long, gentle swim. Talking with a partner about changing desires and redefining intimacy is vital to a healthy libido. Individuals with concerns about low libido should consult a medical health professional. With a variety of causes surrounding the lack of sexual desire, a doctor can allay concerns.A medical professional can recommend lifestyle changes, alternative therapies and provide insight into the natural aging process. Reducing stress and anxiety can increase the desire for sexual intimacy. Exercise and stretching can also increase metabolism and rejuvenate desire. Sometimes, the solution is as simple as talking with a partner about low libido and working out a plan, together, to address the lack of desire.
Learn how to fight low libido during menopause.
