Low sex drive, also known as hypoactive sexual desire, isn’t unusual in women and men. In fact, many people have experienced it at some point in their lives.
If you feel bothered by your loss of desire, don’t feel like you need to deal with it on your own; there are ways to seek help. It’s possible that the issue will resolve itself over time—but if you want help sooner rather than later and aren’t sure where to start looking into treatment options, read on!
Seek medical help
If your low libido is related to a physical cause, such as thyroid disease or diabetes, seek medical help.
Some medications used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension), depression, and other mental health disorders can also cause a loss of interest in sex. Your doctor may be able to find the cause of your low libido and work with you to treat it. He or she will discuss whether it’s safe to adjust your dosage or switch to another medicine that doesn’t cause this side effect.
Don’t stop any medicine without first talking to your doctor.
Be open and honest with your doctor about any problems you might be having while on medication.
Exercise regularly
Exercise is a powerful factor in boosting libido because it helps lower blood pressure, boosts circulation, increases muscle strength and flexibility, reduces stress hormones such as cortisol (which can decrease desire), improves sleep quality (which increases desire), lowers body fat percentage (which decreases estrogen production), or increases testosterone production (which increases sex drive).
If you’re stressed, depressed, or anxious—or if you suffer from any other emotional health issue—it’s going to be harder to get in the mood. Exercise can help with stress, depression, and anxiety. Regular exercise also helps with weight control and cardiovascular health.
Some specific types of exercise that are best for increasing libido:
- aerobic exercise increases blood flow throughout your body;
- strength training improves muscle tone which can make sex feel better;
- weight lifting leads to better muscle control during intercourse.
Eat a healthy diet
A healthy diet can help you reduce stress, improve your mood, and boost your energy levels. For example, eating more vegetables and fruits may help you feel more energetic throughout the day. Unhealthy food affects your body negatively which contributes to low libido, inability to last long during sex and weak stamina. It might be difficult to overhaul your diet completely, so start slow. Start by reducing sugar and junk food until you get to a point where you can maintain these healthy habits and it’s no longer just a “diet”.
Try herbal solutions
Herbal remedies are an effective way to boost your libido. The following herbs have been shown to increase sexual desire:
- Horny goatweed
- Tongakat ali
- Ginko biloba
- Maca (Lepidium meyenii)
- Ginseng (Panax ginseng)
- Ashwagandha
Don’t smoke
Smoking can increase your risk of erectile dysfunction, impotence, and heart disease. It’s also associated with reduced libido and premature ejaculation. Smoking can actually inhibit blood flow and cause erectile dysfunction—so don’t do it if you want to increase your sex drive!
Avoid alcohol
Alcohol is a depressant, and it can wreak havoc on your libido. Alcohol use is associated with decreased sexual performance, reduced testosterone levels (which can cause erectile dysfunction), weight gain, dehydration, liver damage, and even impotence. Avoid alcohol if you would like to increase your libido.
Get enough sleep
One of the most common causes of libido problems is a lack of sleep. When you’re awake for too long and don’t get enough rest, your body starts to shut down. When that happens, your hormones start to take over, and this can cause hormonal imbalances that negatively affect your sex drive.
Exercise will help you get better sleep at night. If you’re sedentary all day, your sleep quality won’t be as good. Avoid eating heavy meals close to bed as this will also lead to low quality sleep.
Set up some routines around going to bed early enough every night. This works with children and with adults too. It lets your body know that it’s time to shut down for the day.
Don’t drink coffee too close to bed even if you don’t think it’s going to affect you.
Communicate with your partner
It’s important to open up and communicate with your partner about what you want, how you like it, and how often you’d like to be intimate. This will help them give you what you need.
It’s also important to listen to your partner about what they need. Understanding each other and fulfilling each other’s needs will increase intimacy and pleasure in your relationship.
Identify and manage psychological issues that might affect sexual desire
Sometimes, the problem is psychological. Psychological issues can include depression, anxiety and other mood disorders. If you’re feeling down or anxious often, it’s important to get help from a professional who can help you work through these feelings.
Stress from work or school can make it hard for anyone to feel like having sex—and if the stress is interfering with your ability to function at work or school, then it’s definitely affecting your sex life too! Making time for fun activities on days off from work will help take some of the pressure off during busy weeks, which means more energy left over for intimacy.
You can definitely get your sex drive back if you improve your lifestyle and take action. The results may not come over night as your body starts to adjust to new habits, but the results will come eventually. You will see it in your improved sex drive, performance, and in your overall health.