1. Low Sex Drive is More Common than You Think
Though the subject remains slightly taboo, low sex drive among women is rather common. In fact, more than 40 percent of women complain of sapped sexual desire at some point in their lives, and limited libido is one of the most prevalent problems presented to sex therapists. Because your desire for sex directly correlates to outside factors like relationship status-you may want sex at the beginning of a relationship but want nothing to do with it towards the end-as well as other major life changes like pregnancy or menopause, it's normal for your drive to continuously dip and rise over time.
2. Medical Conditions, Drugs May Limit Your Libido
Physical factors can cramp your sex drive, too. Certain non-sexual medical ailments such as anemia, arthritis, cancer, diabetes, high blood sugar or cardiovascular conditions may contribute to limited desire. Plus, prescription medications such as antidepressants, blood pressure regulators, chemotherapy drugs and antihistamines can also cause your sex drive to fizzle. So if you think your prescriptions are to blame for a blase sex drive, talk to your doctor about switching doses of your meds or alternative treatments that don't come with libido-zapping side effects.
3. Depression Drives Down Desire
Even if you're in a fantastic, fulfilling relationship, your sex life will undoubtedly suffer if you're depressed. Other psychological culprits such as stress, anxiety, feelings of inadequacy and past sexual abuse may also cause a loss of libido. If you are feeling stressed or blue, talk out your worries with a physician or a therapist. And getting regular exercise-especially an endorphin-boosting activity like running or something more relaxing like yoga-will enhance your libido while increasing your stamina, improving your body image and elevating your mood.
4. Drinking Doesn't Do the Body Good
A couple of beers or a few glasses of wine may work to loosen you up before you hop into bed, but excessive drinking may wind up spoiling your sex drive. Not only does alcohol alter your hormones and make you desire less sex, but it also dries up vaginal secretions and reduces the blood flow to your organs, resulting in painful or uncomfortable sex and difficulty achieving an orgasm. So to boost your sex drive, don't overdo it on the cocktails and consume alcohol in moderation instead.
5. Hormones Can Help Increase Your Sexual Appetite
Unfortunately, there's no version of Viagra for women. But other treatments such as hormone therapy may have similar effects on your sexual arousal. Some women opt for extra estrogen in the form of a vaginal cream or a slow-releasing suppository placed in the vagina to increase blood flow to the sexual organs, helping to boost desire. Another tactic is to up your testosterone levels with gels intended to remedy libido loss after menopause. Though the FDA has yet to approve testosterone therapy, its popularity isn't waning: about 1.4 million off-label prescriptions for testosterone were written for women in 2006.
