If you’re not as interested in sex as you used to be, chances are you have a lot of company. Decreased sex drive is a relatively common complaint of women. According to the Mayo Clinic, more than 40 percent of women report diminished sexual interest at some point in their lives. A study by the Biobehavioral Health & Women’s Studies at Pennsylvania State University puts the range between 33 and 67 percent. The causes of lowered sex drive are varied, and if you’re experiencing a diminished sex drive, it’s important that you schedule a check-up to eliminate life-threatening diseases.
Medical Causes
Many medical conditions can cause you to lose interest in sexual activity, and this is why it’s so important to schedule a visit to your medical provider for a physical examination. The Mayo Clinic states that high blood pressure, diabetes, coronary disease, cancer and neurological diseases can all lower sex drive, as can hormonal changes, such as those experienced during pregnancy, after childbirth, when breastfeeding, and during both perimenopause and menopause.
Medication Side Effects
Many prescription medicines can affect a woman’s libido, and you should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you suspect that a drug may be the culprit. Chemotherapy drugs, as well as medicines prescribed for blood pressure and depression, can cause decreased sex drive, as can some over-the-counter drugs, such as antihistamines. If you take any drug on a regular basis, check and see if it might be interfering with your sex life.
Stress
Stress is a big culprit for a lowered sex drive, especially for women who are juggling home, marriage, children and work. Many women report a loss of interest in sex after the birth of a child, and low sex drive is more common in women with preschool children. Typically, women who multitask don’t leave enough time in their day and week for themselves. The combination of stress and not enough sleep could lead to a decrease in sex drive.
Lifestyle
Your sex drive is connected to your health directly, and it can be affected adversely by your lifestyle. A lack of exercise can cause low libido, as can poor nutrition and some diets. While an alcoholic drink may boost your sex drive, large quantities of alcohol can have the opposite effect, as can illicit drug use or abuse.
Relationships
No matter how healthy and well-rested a woman is, if her relationship is not healthy, it can lead to a marked decrease in sexual interest. If you and your partner have grown apart, it can affect your sexual drive. Lack of conversation and activities that you enjoy together, different goals and schedules, and a decrease in intimate time together can all cause your sex drive to decrease substantially.
Photo Credit
- in bed image by Dumitrescu Ciprian from Fotolia.com
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