So, you’re probably here because you’ve noticed a change in your sex life. Whether you are approaching, currently experiencing, or have a partner with menopause, it can feel like the end of the world when the physical effects of menopause start to occur. We can assure you, it is not! Sexuality after menopause is an issue many women face and should not be ignored.
We all resist change, but it’s crucial to realize that some of the most beautiful things come from the shifts life brings.
Menopausal symptoms are more than hot flashes and mood swings. This natural process can alter many aspects of your life, but here we delve into the effects it can have on your intimacy and quality of life. Half of women in their 50s continue having intercourse, but by their 70s only 27 percent of women are doing it. (hopkinsmedicine.org) If you’re open to learn some tips, then look no further! We’ve compiled a few ways menopause can affect intimacy and how to remain confident in your relationship and your bedroom.
You may feel some distance
Menopause can make women feel alone and isolated. Not recognizing your body, not feeling comfortable discussing those changes with anyone else, or not knowing that others are experiencing the same changes are all common experiences for women in peri menopause and menopause.
All of this can cause you to retreat into yourself, which can create distance in all your relationships; especially your intimate partnerships. Opening up to your partner requires vulnerability, but vulnerability is a cornerstone of emotional intimacy.
Tip: Talk to your partner more
Having conversations with your partner is a gift you not only give your partner, but also yourself. A partner’s response to your changing body, changing needs and changing emotions will not only help your partner understand you, but also allow for micro adjustments on his or her part that can make a big difference to you and your libido.
After releasing everything that’s been on your mind, you may find communication in your relationship is better than ever!
Physical intimacy may take a hit…at first
Low sexual desire? You aren’t alone. A decrease in estrogen production naturally causes a multitude of conditions that don’t scream TAKE ME TO BED OR LOSE ME FOREVER (lack of desire). Studies show that when women’s bodies go through hormonal changes, it’s more difficult to get aroused and produce vaginal lubrication. This can easily make the idea of being intimate a foreboding thought, but this is not the end of your sexual life. There are ways to navigate your body’s new normal. Cannabis use before sex can lead to enhanced sensory experiences during sex and result in more enjoyment.
Tip: Don’t be afraid to use aids
VAGINAL DRYNESS
To help ease some of your anxiousness surrounding physical intimacy, consider using something like the Hello Again cannabis-powered vaginal suppository. This natural relief for menopause can combat vaginal dryness while providing enough lubrication to have an overall better time. If you haven’t already, it may be time to layer in vaginal lubricants. Keep it in the nightstand. Use it from the get-go.
Men Have Struggles with Intimacy Too
Also, news-flash, men go through changes as well! Their changes aren’t exactly the same and typically occur in the form of a condition like erectile dysfunction. However, men still use sexual health aids like ed medications to help them adjust to their new normal too. So, you’re not alone. It takes two to tango with each partner adjusting to the other’s moves.
Can decrease confidence and trust
As we mentioned, it can get lonely when you’re feeling as if you’re going through menopause alone. If your feelings go unchecked for too long, it can cause mental health problems. Depression has the tendency to make people alienate themselves from others, specifically people close to them.
As this happens, communication with your partner can decline and intimacy can take a real hit. When emotional intimacy wavers, this can cause your confidence in not only yourself but your relationship to falter. The less confidence you have in your relationship, the more likely trust issues will occur.
Tip: Remember what made you fall in love
Symptoms of menopause are frustrating and as you’re going through this time, reassurance is key. Remembering why you are with someone and regaining confidence in yourself and your relationship is important. There are a few ways to achieve this but a great option is—dates. Specifically, dates in new places can help spark new conversations and energy.
Dates can help you feel that deeper connection to your partner again. This is the time where you’ll be able to reminisce about things that you love and the things that brought you together in the first place. Date nights can help you rekindle your relationship and bring you closer to one another than ever before.
Sure, the physical and emotional intimacy can take a hit in peri menopause and menopause, but it has to stay that way. By utilizing a few simple tips, you can take charge of the changes you are experiencing to enjoy this new chapter. It can even better than it was before. So, don’t let people convince you it’s the end of the world, because you still have so much to look forward to.
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by Hallman Ray
