Every woman’s sex drive is different. Some women naturally have a higher level of sexual desire, while others have less, and both can be completely normal. Low libido in women can also develop or change over time due to health, hormonal changes, stress, relationship concerns and daily routines. Wanting sex less often than before is not automatically a medical problem. However, if the change happens unexpectedly, continues for a long time or causes personal distress, it is a good idea to discuss it with a qualified healthcare professional.
What Is Low Libido in Women?
Libido is just another word for sex drive, meaning how interested you are in sex. Having a low libido means you want sex less than you’d like to, or less than you normally would. There’s no “right” amount of desire that every woman should have. What really matters is whether you’ve noticed a change, whether it’s stuck around, and whether it bothers you.
If you’d like a general explanation of the word, you can read the Wikipedia overview of libido.
Common Causes of Low Libido in Women
1. Hormonal Changes
Your hormones don’t stay the same your whole life. Pregnancy changes them, and so do the time after your baby is born, breastfeeding, and the years before and during menopause. Any of these can turn your sex drive down. On top of that, a lot of women get vaginal dryness or just feel less comfortable at these times, so it’s no surprise sex doesn’t feel as appealing.
2. Stress and Mental Health
Think about a normal week: work deadlines, the kids, the house, bills to pay, maybe something on your mind you can’t shake off. With all that going on, it’s really hard to relax enough to feel in the mood. And if you’re dealing with anxiety or depression, or you’ve just felt low for a long while, that can take your desire down with it.
3. Relationship and Emotional Concerns
When you and your partner feel far apart, or the same fight keeps coming back, or you just don’t really talk anymore, wanting sex usually drops too. Not having any privacy at home doesn’t help either. Being close and comfortable with each other helps a lot, though of course no two couples are the same.
4. Tiredness and Lack of Sleep
By the end of a long day running after kids, working a late shift or after nights of bad sleep, most women are simply exhausted. When you’re that tired, your body and mind just want rest, and sex tends to slide right down the list.
5. Certain Medicines
It surprises a lot of people, but some medicines can lower sex drive or change the way your body reacts. A few antidepressants and some blood pressure tablets can do it, and hormonal birth control affects some women, though not all. Whatever you do, don’t stop a prescribed medicine or change the dose by yourself. Have a chat with the doctor who prescribed it if you think it’s playing a part.
6. Vaginal Dryness or Pain During Intimacy
It’s hard to want something that hurts or feels uncomfortable, that’s just common sense. Dryness and pain can happen for lots of different reasons, and the good thing is that many of them can be treated. So if it keeps happening, please see a doctor rather than just putting up with it.
7. Underlying Health Conditions
Sometimes the reason is a health problem that’s affecting your energy, your mood, your hormones or how your body feels. Thyroid issues, diabetes, heart disease, pain that won’t go away, depression, anxiety and some gynaecological conditions are all examples. If you’re not sure, a doctor can check whether one of these might be behind it.
Signs That May Be Associated with Low Libido
It doesn’t look the same for everybody, but here are some things you might notice:
- Sex just doesn’t interest you as much as it once did.
- Sexual thoughts or fantasies hardly cross your mind anymore.
- You rarely make the first move, and you’re not that keen when your partner does.
- It’s not a passing phase. The change has been there for a while now.
- It’s bothering you, making you worried or frustrated, or causing some tension with your partner.
None of these on its own tells you what the cause is. A doctor would look at the whole picture: your body, your feelings, any medicines you’re on and how things are at home.
How Can Women Support Their Sexual Wellbeing?
Sadly there’s no magic answer that suits everyone. Still, some simple day-to-day things can help you feel more like yourself, and along the way you may figure out what’s been getting in the way:
- Get some proper rest. Going to sleep and getting up around the same time each day really does help.
- Do something that calms you down. Even a short evening walk or a bit of gentle exercise counts.
- Talk to your partner, really talk, about what you like, what you don’t, and how you’ve both been feeling.
- Pain, dryness, feeling low, or any other symptom that hangs around is worth getting looked at.
- If things changed after you started a new medicine, mention it to your doctor.
- Watch out for anything claiming guaranteed or instant results, and be extra careful if the label doesn’t clearly list what’s in it or whether it’s safe.
Female Sexual Wellness Products: What Should You Know?
Online Pharma lists some products sold in the female sexual wellness category. These include Lovegra Tablets, Lovegra Jelly for Women, Female Sex Enhance Fluid, Butterfly Lyad Female Enhancement Pills and Q7 Chocolate Turkish for Female.
We want to be honest with you here. A product being sold for female sexual wellness doesn’t prove it treats low libido, or that it will work for every woman. Some have more research behind them than others, the ingredients aren’t the same, side effects differ, and something that’s fine for one woman may not be safe for another. Read everything on the product page first. Then, before you take anything, check with a doctor or pharmacist. That’s really important if you take other medicine, have any health problem, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have any doubt at all.
When Should You Seek Medical Advice?
Has your sex drive been low for some time now? Is it upsetting you, or getting in the way of your life or your relationship? Then it’s worth booking an appointment. And if there’s also pain during sex, dryness, unusual bleeding, big mood changes or any other new symptom, please go sooner rather than later.
At the appointment, you’ll probably be asked about your past health, what medicines you take, how stressed you’ve been, how things are with your partner and whether you’ve had any other symptoms. They might want to examine you, do some tests or look again at the medicines you’re on. It all depends on what they think is causing it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is low libido common in women?
Changes in sex drive can happen at lots of different points in life. The reasons vary from woman to woman, and wanting sex less doesn’t automatically mean something is wrong with your health.
Can stress affect a woman’s sexual desire?
Yes. Stress that doesn’t let up, anxiety, emotional strain and not getting enough rest can all make you less interested in sex.
Can hormones cause low libido?
They can. Hormones go up and down a lot when you’re pregnant, after the baby comes, while you breastfeed and around menopause, and that can lower desire. Some women feel a big difference, some barely notice.
Can medicines reduce sexual desire?
Yes, a few can lower your sex drive or affect how your body responds. Don’t just stop taking them, though. Go back to your doctor, who might be able to change the dose or switch you to something else.
Does low libido always need treatment?
No, not always. But if the change is something you don’t want, hasn’t gone away or is upsetting you, a doctor can help find out what might be causing it and talk you through your options.
Are female enhancement products a proven treatment for low libido?
Not necessarily. Ads can say almost anything, and that’s no proof a product is safe or does what it says for low libido. Have a look at what’s in it, and ask a doctor or pharmacist before you use it.
Final Thoughts
A woman’s sex drive can be pushed up or down by so many things: hormones, stress, sleep, your relationship, medicines and your general health. There’s no fixed normal, and nobody should feel they have to keep up with what someone else feels. So if you’ve noticed a change that hasn’t gone away, or it’s weighing on you, don’t keep it to yourself. A doctor can help you find out the reason and what your next steps could be.
Medical information notice: This article is for general educational purposes only. It is not a diagnosis or a substitute for advice from a qualified healthcare professional.