Sex Life after Menopause

Menopause is a term given to the period of cessation of women’s monthly periods. The duration of menopause can last for one to two year at a stretch. The age of natural menopause ranges from 40 to 61 years, though the median age is considerably earlier i.e. 44 years.

Menopause is considered to be a difficult time as it brings various health issues with it. Changes in sex drive, vaginal dryness, heart palpitations, memory loss, weight gain, mood swings and hot flashes are some of the common symptoms of menopause. The changes in sex drive and the general distress due to the other symptoms adversely affects the sex life after menopause.

Sex Life after Menopause

According to a recent study conducted in UK, the post menopausal women have better sex ife than they had before menopause. Results of this study indicate that 65% of women reported to have happier sex life since they need not worry about the unplanned pregnancies.

Women often have misconception and worries pertaining to their sex life after menopause. They are afraid that their partner may no longer be sexually interested in her. Such fears stem from the fact that after menopause one tends to lose their libido. Factors effecting sex life after menopause:

• Emotional well-being of women- Emotional state of women is an important influencing factor in post-menopause sex life. If a woman is constantly worried about looks of her body, the state of mind can have negative influence on her sex drive. During menopause women experience mood swings but post menopause majority of women report to have more fun in their daily activities. Almost all the women report to be experiencing greater sense of independence.  If you are facing emotional distress even after the menopause period then it is advisable to take medical assisstance in postmenopause phase as well.

• Physical well-being of women- It is only small percentage of women that report to have reduced sexual drive due to physical changes during menopause. For instance, vaginal dryness can make sex an uncomfortable experience. This is so because lower estrogen level decreases blood supply to vagina causing low vaginal lubrication. The physical health concerns can also significantly hamper the sexual desire of women. Lowered levels of progesterone, estrogen and testosterone are one of the reasons of decreased sexual drive (libido).

If your sex life after menopause is becoming an issue of concern for you then the best solution is to discuss the problem with your doctor and opt for the best possible treatments.

Read more articles on Understand Menopause and Perimenopause.