Arousal After Menopause - Is It Possible To Have HIGHER Libido??

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Melissa Thompson, PT, DPT, MTC

Dr. Thompson is board certified and the owner of Louisiana Pelvic Health. Her expertise is in alleviating bladder, bowel, and sexual pain symptoms during pregnancy, postpartum, and throughout a woman's life. 

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Here’s what you NORMALLY hear about menopause and sex:

That menopause will decrease your sex drive.

But, is it possible to have increased libido during perimenopause, menopause, or post-menopause?

Yes, it’s definitely possible (and perfectly healthy) to have increased sex drive during menopause. And, there are even ways to increase your sex drive during menopause.

This article shares all the info. 

Can Sex Drive Increase During Menopause?

While it’s more common for sex drive to decrease during menopause, it is definitely possible for women to experience increased libido during menopause. 

How is it possible to have increased sex drive during menopause?

It’s possible because of the changes in hormones. 

During menopause, women have fluctuating levels of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. These levels call go up and down.

So, while these hormones are fluctuating, it’s not unnatural to create increased libido in women. 

How Menopause Affects Sex Drive:

For most women, menopause will have a noticeable effect on their sex drive.

Menopause hormones are changing:

There are 3 main hormones that influence sex drive during menopause. 

1. Estrogen:

A study found that:

“Estrogen was the main factor in boosting sex drive.”

And, during menopause, estrogen levels can be all over the place. During fluctuations where estrogen surges, women can experience an increase in sex drive.

This is especially true during perimenopause (the five or so years leading up to the end of the function of the uterus) when estrogen levels can fluctuate the most.

Dr. Lara Briden's book, The Period Repair Manual, is a great resource for this topic.

2. Progesterone

Medical News Today shares that an increase in progesterone will actually decrease sex drive in women.

And just like with estrogen, progesterone can fluctuate during menopause. It can go up. It can go down. Or, at times, it can stay steady.

As it surges up or dips below normal, women can experience changes in sex drive.

Dr. Lara Briden also supports evidence that progesterone is the mood boosting hormone and may need support during this transition.

3. Testosterone

There’s mixed information out there…

Some sources say that testosterone does NOT increase sex drive in women.

Others argue that testosterone definitely DOES increase sex drive in women. 

So, who is right? Does it really matter?

In this case, it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that testosterone levels are changing. And while it’s still unclear whether or not testosterone increases or decreases sex drive, it’s clear that testosterone influences sex drive to some degree.

High sex drive during menopause can be due to emotional changes, too:

Sex can be a very emotional thing. 

And, what’s also clear during menopause is that women’s emotions can change. They can experience mood swings, depression, and more.

Therefore, the change in women’s emotions during menopause can influence their sex drive.

Perimenopause Libido vs. Post Menopause Libido

Perimenopause libido is definitely different than post menopause libido.

Women in perimenopause, according to anecdotal evidence, are much more likely to experience higher sex drives than women in post-menopause.

How to Increase Sex Drive During Menopause?

Libido is not a static thing.

It’s not like your sex drive is a constant thing that you can’t change. There are things that you can do (or things, circumstances, or external factors) that can influence your sex drive.

Here are some ways to potentially increase your sex drive during menopause.

Mindfulness

Meditation and mindfulness practices change how your brain operates in a sexual sense.

The neural pathways in your brain that are related to sex (endorphins, DHEA, and more) can also be influenced by meditation or mindfulness.

Herbs & Natural Remedies

While herbs and natural remedies are a common practice when trying to increase sex drive, remember that most of them are not scientifically proven or clinically studied.

While that’s the case, many people believe that certain herbs can positively influence their sex drive.

Natural remedies like deer antler, orchic, tongkat ali, and more are frequently used.

Medical Treatment

Sometimes, sex drive can be due to extreme hormonal imbalances. When that’s the case, medical treatment, hormone replacement therapy, and more can be beneficial to revitalize sex drive.

We at Chiavaye believe in holistic health. Of course, you should listen to your doctor, and we are definitely not sharing medical advice, but we prefer to try the natural approach first. If the natural approach doesn’t work, then we believe in trying more conventional medical treatment.