{"id":5591,"date":"2014-08-28T14:07:32","date_gmt":"2014-08-28T06:07:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/?p=5591"},"modified":"2020-05-08T11:49:29","modified_gmt":"2020-05-08T09:49:29","slug":"cause-low-libido","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/cause-low-libido\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Things That Might Be Causing Your Low Libido"},"content":{"rendered":"

We all have periods of time \u2013 long or short \u2013 where we\u2019re just not in the mood for a romp between the sheets, but if you\u2019ve noticed a big dip in your sex drive it\u2019s important to understand where it\u2019s coming from. Loss of libido can have a variety of physical and mental causes (or some combination of the two) but with so many health and relationship benefits to sex, it\u2019s important to know if it\u2019s just a lull or if you need to make some lifestyle changes or see a doctor. So, here\u2019s a list of the most common causes of low libido in women and tips on how to jumpstart your desire.<\/p>\n

Birth control<\/h3>\n

Ironically, it seems that reducing your risk of unwanted pregnancy (and giving you the freedom to have sex whenever you want) can actually dampen your libido. Recent research has found that some hormonal birth control can lower the level of testosterone (one of the hormones that get you in the mood) in some women. Just like other medications, each type affects each woman differently, so talk to your doctor about which option is best for you<\/a> (and your sex life).<\/p>\n

Hormonal Changes<\/b><\/h3>\n

Any changes in your hormones, especially estrogen, can pull the plug on your libido. During pregnancy, breastfeeding, and menopause your estrogen levels drop, which can result in low libido, vaginal dryness<\/a> and a host of other symptoms that make sex difficult or even painful. Your doctor can prescribe certain hormonal medications and help you maintain your intimate health during these changes.<\/p>\n

Medications<\/b><\/h3>\n

Antidepressants (such as SSRIs) have a well-documented negative effect on libido and arousal, but many other medications can also be a drag on your sex life. Antihistamines and other allergy medications are vasoconstrictors, meaning they limit blood flow all over your body (including genitals), which can lower desire and make it difficult or near impossible to orgasm. Be sure to discuss each of your medications with your doctor to see if switching to a different brand helps.<\/p>\n

Skipping Out on Exercise<\/b><\/h3>\n

The importance of exercise to your health can\u2019t be overstated – but having better sex more often can be great motivation to get moving. Exercise can increase energy, reduce stress, build stamina, and is a great way to lose weight \u2013 all of which can improve libido. A recent study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine<\/a> showed that just 20 minutes of intensive exercise significantly improves the physiological sexual arousal of women.<\/p>\n

However, less rigorous exercise like yoga has also been found to have a significant effect on sexual response by increasing blood flow to the genitals. And let\u2019s not forget about Kegel exercise \u2013 it not only increases blood flow to your lady parts, but can also help tighten your vagina and improve sensations<\/a> for you and your partner.<\/p>\n

Lack of Sleep<\/h3>\n

\u201cI\u2019m too tired\u201d might be one of the most common excuses both men and women use to avoid sex, but it might be more true than you think. Women who don\u2019t get enough sleep on a regular basis have been found to have less testosterone in their blood stream than those getting a full night\u2019s sleep, which can lead to a drop in their desire to get busy. So try to make sleeping (just sleeping) together an integral part of your intimacy, spend a little time cuddling and getting comfortable for an early night.<\/p>\n

You could always save sex for the morning, when you\u2019ll be more refreshed and ready to go.<\/p>\n

Weight Issues<\/h3>\n

Being overweight can kill your libido in more ways than one. Excessive body fat affects not only the production of both estrogen and testosterone (which help you get in the mood) but also decreases the amount of other chemicals your body needs to use those hormones. Which means your body doesn\u2019t have the right hormones and can\u2019t absorb the hormones it does have, often resulting in a lower sex drive.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re worried that your weight is affecting your libido talk to your doctor about the best way to get back to a healthier weight, a balanced diet and committed fitness routine can do wonders for your libido as well.<\/p>\n

Stress, Anxiety, and Depression<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s not just physical problems that can cause issues with sexual desire. Stress, anxiety and depression can make every part of your life worse and that can easily affect your view of sex and intimacy. You can talk to your doctor about stress relief methods<\/a> or medications to help, but in the meantime, be open with your partner about how you\u2019re feeling and work together to ensure that sex is an act of intimacy and relaxation for you both. If you think of sex as a fun break rather than just another task, you\u2019ll most likely start to look forward to it.<\/p>\n

Just remember that having a low sex drive doesn\u2019t mean there\u2019s something wrong with you. There are endless ways to encourage your desire and just as many ways to be intimate \u2013 even without sex.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We all have periods of time \u2013 long or short \u2013 where we\u2019re just not in the mood for a romp between the sheets, but if you\u2019ve noticed a big…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":17189,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n7 Things That Might Be Causing Your Low Sex Drive<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn about the most common things that cause low sex drive in women and how you can get your desire back!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/cause-low-libido\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"INTIMINA\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/cause-low-libido\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/cause-low-libido\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"INTIMINA\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/f50537a97d16dabefc697e8585013e87\"},\"headline\":\"7 Things That Might Be Causing Your Low Libido\",\"datePublished\":\"2014-08-28T06:07:32+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-05-08T09:49:29+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/cause-low-libido\/\"},\"wordCount\":862,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Sexual Wellness\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/cause-low-libido\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/cause-low-libido\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/cause-low-libido\/\",\"name\":\"7 Things That Might Be Causing Your Low Sex Drive\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2014-08-28T06:07:32+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-05-08T09:49:29+00:00\",\"description\":\"Learn about the most common things that cause low sex drive in women and how you can get your desire back!\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/cause-low-libido\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Intimina\",\"description\":\"A Health and Wellness Resource for Women\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Intimina\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/INTIMINA_logo-02.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/INTIMINA_logo-02.png\",\"width\":1000,\"height\":543,\"caption\":\"Intimina\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/intimina\",\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intimina\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/intimina\/\",\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/intimina\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCR_3_GPO6pkhDiFU9TZRdYA\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/f50537a97d16dabefc697e8585013e87\",\"name\":\"INTIMINA\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d41ce57083541d7ecfdc50159a46958f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d41ce57083541d7ecfdc50159a46958f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"INTIMINA\"},\"description\":\"A collective group of \\\"lady experts\\\" at Intimina who love sharing our personal experiences, even when they are a little\u00a0too\u00a0personal. 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