For a number of reasons, sex after menopause may not be the same as that which a woman experienced before. The major hormonal changes during this period of a woman’s life mean that sex may be physically difficult for a woman and that her libido is not the same as before, throwing up relationship challenges as well as other issues.
Why sex after the menopause can become problematic
One reason for this is the fact of vaginal dryness. The natural lubrication of the vagina undergoes very significant changes during menopause with a result that many women start to find sex after the menopause painful and hence may want to avoid it.
Secondly, lower levels of certain hormones in the system mean that many women tend to lose the desire for sex, and a flagging libido may lead to a strained intimate relationship.
A third reason for problems relating to sex during and after menopause is that a woman’s body itself undergoes several physical changes – while a woman may put on some weight, her breast conversely may lose some of their bulk.
Also body hair may become coarser, making a woman more self conscious and less confident about her physical appearance.
All of this is perfectly normal and most women undergo this to a lesser or larger extent.
The good news is that it is possible to make small changes in day to day life, as well as a woman’s mind set, that will help renew her interest in sex after menopause, and also help with relationship issues that she may be facing.
1.Firstly remember that menopause is a time of liberation for women. As the reproductive years end a woman doesn’t need to worry about contraception or the chance of an accidental pregnancy.
So rather than look upon menopause as the end of something, look upon it as a fresh and exciting new time of life.
2.Communication between couples is the key to resolving any tensions or misunderstandings that may have crept into a relationship as a result of a woman’s flagging interest in sex.
A man may take it as a rejection of him or of the relationship when in fact a woman is simply undergoing a difficult time in life. So she needs to explain to him what is going on with her, and reinforce and clarify the feelings that she still has for him.
3.There are many vaginal lubricants available on the market that will help to ease sex after menopause.
Try and avoid using vaginal douches that could upset the natural vaginal balance and cause further dryness or having very long hot baths or highly scented intimate products that could also contribute to the dryness.
4.Also remember that at this stage in life, both a woman and her partner are experienced enough to know what turns each other on, and that experience and accumulated skill can be very valuable for enhancing sex after menopause.
Be playful, experiment with each other, surprise each other, take the help of a toy or two, some racy videos, some interesting lingerie, go on dates and generally indulge in some quality time together – who knows where that could lead.
