Menopause and sex can work together in harmonious ways, as long as you remember a few important things.
RELATED: Normal Testosterone Levels In Men And Women By Age
How You Can Work Menopause and Sex Together
Why Doesn’t Menopause Usually Go with Sex?
Menopause is the final stage of a woman’s menstrual cycle. During menopause, a woman’s ovaries eventually halt the production of estrogen, which is the main sex hormone for women.
This usually spells disaster for sexual intercourse. Estrogen is the hormone that keeps the vaginal lining moist and elastic and libido levels high.
Penetrative sex without proper preparation may be painful and even cause tears in the vaginal walls.
But that’s not the end of the story. You can still have satisfying sex even at a later age. Here’s how:
1. Invest in a Good Lubricant
Lubricants help moisten dry vaginal walls, not only during sex but before it as well. OTC vaginal moisturizers, for example, are to be used on a regular basis at least twice a week outside of sex.
During sexual intercourse, water or silicone-based lubricant is ideal, so keep a bottle of them close to your bed. There are several varieties of lubricants on the market, even travel-sized versions to be used on the go.
2. Increase Sexual Activity
Though it may sound counterintuitive, regular penetrative sex may actually be more helpful in the long run. It helps keep the vaginal tissue from thinning out by increasing the blood flow in the vagina during arousal.
3. Try Testosterone
Hormone replacement therapy isn’t only for men (i.e. use of testosterone); women can also benefit from it. But studies proving testosterone replacement therapy can directly help with decreasing libido in women are still to be established.
RELATED: HRT Hormone Replacement Therapy For Women: Frequently Asked Questions [INFOGRAPHIC]
4. Communicate with Your Partner
Whether it’s about sex or simply the changes your body goes through during menopause, communicating with your partner can help deal with the stress and anxiety. Together, you can address the issues.
Talking to a sex therapist can also be helpful, as he/she can provide an additional channel for communication between you and your partner.
5. Experiment
Menopause symptoms can make it hard to feel great and get in the right mood to have sex. Experimenting is a great way to get things going.
It can be as simple as extending foreplay, watching porn with your partner, trying out new positions and sex toys, or trying to get out of your own head.
6. Don’t Succumb to Pressure
Having less sex than you did in your younger years is normal. Avoid getting pressured into forcing yourselves to have as much sex as you did, say, in your 20’s.
Be intimate with your partner and experiment at your own pace. Your sex life is far from over; it just opened a new door filled with different experiences.
7. Be Patient
Sex takes on a different facet after menopause. Many things that might have felt good before may not feel as good anymore.
As you age, arousal takes longer because blood flow to the genitals slows down.
This is why proper communication and managing expectations are useful when maintaining a happy and healthy sex life in your advanced age. Focusing on what feels good for you and your partner should be what matters above all else.
It may be easy to think that being sexually active ends at menopause, but that simply isn’t true. It’s just a different life stage, and with the right tools and mindset, satisfying sex is still possible.
What are some assumptions you had regarding menopause and sex? Share them with us in the comments section below!
Up Next:
