Sex after Menopause

As a woman begins to hit the midpoint in her life, her body begins to undergo some serious changes. The production of two essential hormones in a woman's body will begin to change. Estrogen and progesterone are essential to a woman's well being during her early life. When these two hormones levels begin to fall, she starts to find a number of new symptoms in her life. This is known as the big change or menopause, and it something that each and every woman will go through, though some experience it naturally, and for others, it occurs as the result of surgery or damage through medical procedures like radiation and chemotherapy. No matter why a woman experiences menopause, her sexual life will change. During her younger days, a woman's body prepares for both sex and the birthing process. She has thick vaginal walls that make both intercourse and the process of birth much easier. Moreover, the hormones progesterone and estrogen lubricate the vaginal walls, which make the intimacy better for both her and her partner.

As women age, they may or may not have sex at a lower rate of frequency. Some women may enjoy sex more than others, so some women have it more often. While neither choice is necessarily correct, it comes down to a personal preference on the part of the woman. Before menopause, there is no change, on an emotional or physical level, for the woman. Once the symptoms appear, though, also known as perimenopause, she will start to have problems that may change her overall life including her thoughts, feelings, and actions. Sex, during and after menopause is something that is different for each woman. For some woman, they experience such a level of vaginal dryness that sex is not only difficult, it is also quite painful. As a result, women dread the act, and her desire for sex is seriously reduced.

Vaginal dryness is not the only sexual drawback for some women. Most experience hot flashes and night sweats, which can make sex quite difficult. During a hot flash, a woman begins to feel hot all over. She feels as if her face is flushed. Sometimes this horrible sensation lasts for up to ten minutes, and there is no way for a woman to predict when the next hot flash will occur. Coupled with this horrible symptom comes night sweats. A woman may wake drenched in her own perspiration. She may have to change her clothes and the sheets to get away from the feeling. This can make a woman feel quite miserable, which may mean that she does not want to have sex.

Insomnia can also cause a lacking desire for sex. Many women have some serious problems sleeping during this change. As a result, she may seem tired throughout the course of the day, which can make it much harder for her to feel any level of arousal. She just doesn't have the energy to perform the sex acts she was once accustomed to. She may even feel irritated when her partner wants sex and she doesn't.

There are so many changes a woman's body undergoes during menopause. It is not uncommon for her sexual desire to undergo some of those same difficult changes. If you are concerned about your sex drive, you might talk to your doctor about the best way to approach these changes.