{"id":1413400,"date":"2024-02-14T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-14T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1413400"},"modified":"2024-02-14T13:00:00","modified_gmt":"2024-02-14T10:00:00","slug":"what-having-sex-after-menopause-is-really-like","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1413400","title":{"rendered":"What Having Sex After Menopause Is Really Like"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"article main-content story\" lang=\"en-US\">\n<div class=\"AIContentWrapper-gOOlQO jDkjfm\">\n<div class=\"ArticlePageLedeBackground-JMVDp bIwRjk\">\n<header class=\"ContentHeaderWrapper-cqMZiN bujceF content-header article__content-header inset\">\n<div data-testid=\"ContentHeaderContainer\" class=\"ContentHeaderContainer-cMdHiZ fxttZl\">\n<div class=\"ContentHeaderHedAccreditationWrapper-WaWBW fTkfBu\">\n<div data-testid=\"ContentHeaderTitleBlockWrapper\" class=\"ContentHeaderTitleBlockWrapper-cyIGwg dMceKV\">\n<div data-testid=\"ContentHeaderRubric\" class=\"ContentHeaderRubricBlock-aIcNK eDSQnM\">\n<div data-testid=\"ContentHeaderRubricDateBlock\" class=\"ContentHeaderRubricDateBlock-kvxmSu jVyBWg\">\n<div class=\"RubricWrapper-dZIqzO ghbJG ContentHeaderRubricContainer-fiPRfk fRUoUz\"><span class=\"RubricName-gkORYq fCauaT rubric__name rubric\"><span>DOING IT <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h1 data-testid=\"ContentHeaderHed\" class=\"BaseWrap-sc-gzmcOU BaseText-eqOrNE ContentHeaderHed-SVoJX deqABF iHBUaf dyRzMH\">What Having Sex After Menopause Is Really Like<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ContentHeaderAccreditation-fcyiw bhgqZY content-header__accreditation\" data-testid=\"ContentHeaderAccreditation\">\n<div class=\"ContentHeaderDek-bCXPyE hNoQnF\">&#8220;I&#8217;d always loved sex, but it became astonishing.&#8221;<\/div>\n<div class=\"ContentHeaderByline-jXtKQj jgXynP\">\n<div class=\"ContentHeaderBylineContent-dkwwFS fRKSvg\">\n<div data-testid=\"BylinesWrapper\" class=\"BylinesWrapper-vmGrt cZzmZD bylines ContentHeaderBylines-cTXqro ljGzhW\"><span class=\"BylineWrapper-jRoBEm koNzOU byline bylines__byline\" data-testid=\"BylineWrapper\"><span class=\"BylineNamesWrapper-jrdaOa fXeqQN\"><span data-testid=\"BylineName\" class=\"BylineName-kqTBDS dDLLkB byline__name\"><span class=\"BaseWrap-sc-gzmcOU BaseText-eqOrNE BylinePreamble-itSxDZ deqABF cFJkIM jcgMlx byline__preamble\">By <\/span>Varuna Srinivasan<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p><time data-testid=\"ContentHeaderPublishDate\" datetime=\"2024-02-14T08:00:00-05:00\" class=\"BaseWrap-sc-gzmcOU BaseText-eqOrNE ContentHeaderPublishDate-eNTYkb deqABF lnzeTN eFanim\">February 14, 2024<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ContentHeaderLeadAsset-hVxhYG jbwyOw lead-asset ContentHeaderLeadAssetWrapper-gQBTSl dhrcMW lead-asset--width-undefined\" data-testid=\"ContentHeaderLeadAsset\">\n<figure class=\"ContentHeaderLeadAssetContent-kyKlgP eGZaQl\">\n<div class=\"ContentHeaderLeadAssetContentMedia-bwiUDr keSRCn lead-asset__content__photo\"><span class=\"SpanWrapper-zEXFr koTknX responsive-asset ContentHeaderResponsiveAsset-cgZUtS coCHna\"><\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"aspect-ratio-container\" class=\"AspectRatioContainer-bEozCe gBbeIJ\">\n<div class=\"aspect-ratio--overlay-container\"><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.allure.com\/photos\/65c64c372a90a479b6a0bb3b\/1:1\/w_120,c_limit\/sex%20after%20menopause.jpg 120w, https:\/\/media.allure.com\/photos\/65c64c372a90a479b6a0bb3b\/1:1\/w_240,c_limit\/sex%20after%20menopause.jpg 240w, https:\/\/media.allure.com\/photos\/65c64c372a90a479b6a0bb3b\/1:1\/w_320,c_limit\/sex%20after%20menopause.jpg 320w, https:\/\/media.allure.com\/photos\/65c64c372a90a479b6a0bb3b\/1:1\/w_640,c_limit\/sex%20after%20menopause.jpg 640w, https:\/\/media.allure.com\/photos\/65c64c372a90a479b6a0bb3b\/1:1\/w_960,c_limit\/sex%20after%20menopause.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"CaptionWrapper-jYrTxZ gVBkjw caption ContentHeaderLeadAssetCaption-ifsaEE kXGAlP\" data-testid=\"caption-wrapper\"><span class=\"BaseWrap-sc-gzmcOU BaseText-eqOrNE CaptionCredit-eowWKH deqABF lnzeTN gxwcqg caption__credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-attribute-verso-pattern=\"article-body\" class=\"ArticlePageContentBackGround-dcEtzE kUtTlG article-body__content\">\n<div class=\"ArticlePageChunksContent-enJWmu ilcJfn\">\n<div data-testid=\"ArticlePageChunks\" class=\"ArticlePageChunks-fwcPjP cAlDKu\">\n<div class=\"GridWrapper-cFSKbf cxzKYj grid grid-margins grid-items-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hkPQhP lnoYVP grid-layout--adrail narrow wide-adrail\" data-journey-hook=\"grid-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"GridItem-beYvyV kCPYUp grid--item grid-layout__content\">\n<div class=\"BodyWrapper-kzyFNv HDJd body body__container article__body\" data-journey-hook=\"client-content\" data-testid=\"BodyWrapper\">\n<div class=\"body__inner-container\">\n<p><em>Welcome to<\/em><em><strong>Doing It<\/strong>, a column where sex educator Dr. Varuna Srinivasan explores the deep connections between sex and emotions. This month, they speak to individuals about how their sex lives changed after menopause. Have a question or story idea for Dr. Srinivasan? Submit it here.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Fifty-two-year-old Sarah is currently going through menopause and using this time to reinvent herself. She finally came out as bisexual and is in the process of getting a masters degree. But she\u2019s also dealing with some less-positive side effects: On top of all the physical symptoms commonly associated with menopause, Sarah experienced a low sex drive, to the point where she didn\u2019t even want her partner to touch her.<\/p>\n<p>For people with ovaries, menopause \u2014 defined as 12 months without a period \u2014 typically happens between age 40 and 58, with the average age of onset at 51. There are over 33 different symptoms associated with menopause. A fluctuation of hormonal levels can lead to vaginal dryness, hot flashes, sagging breasts, weight gain, all of which can have an effect on one\u2019s sex life.<\/p>\n<p>LaReesa Ferdinand, MD, a board certified ob-gyn who specializes in women\u2019s hormones and menopause, says 40 to 50% of women who are experiencing menopause report a loss of desire or low libido. But she says that the decrease in libido cannot be solely attributed to the hormonal changes patients experience during perimenopause and menopause.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere are a lot of psychosocial reasons why someone at that age might have a decrease in libido,\u201d Dr. Ferdinand explains. \u201cFor example, women [in this age group] experience the highest rates of divorce. They can end up being caretakers for elderly parents or empty nesters going through financial changes.\u201d Chronic stress can mess with your hormone levels and, in turn, lead to low libido.<\/p>\n<aside aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"PullQuoteEmbedWrapper-sc-TKIUW kKNLCl\" data-testid=\"pullquote-embed-center\">\n<div class=\"PullQuoteEmbedContent-sc-lixSTo cQciWx\">\n<p>\u201cI&#8217;d always loved sex, but it became astonishing.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Though the mainstream narrative has long portrayed menopausal women as universally sexless beings past their prime, a lower libido is not something everyone experiences. In the case of Eaton, a 69 year old writer and painter from Canada, their sex drive did not fluctuate at all. When they entered menopause around age 52, they experienced hot flashes and a decrease in vaginal lubrication but, according to Eaton, \u201csex became magnificent.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI&#8217;d always loved sex, but it became astonishing,\u201d Eaton says. \u201cEvery week, it seemed, the sensations altered in some new, more wonderful way. Pre-menopause, sex had been pretty much the same for all those decades, but not any longer. Sexual pleasure increased 10 or 20 fold!\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Tina, a 33-year-old techie from San Francisco, Tina is currently experiencing artificial menopause, a byproduct of a complete double cystectomy as part of treatment for her stage 3\/4 endometriosis. The changes she\u2019s experienced around her sex life aren\u2019t bad, but different.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was always the higher sex drive partner and now I feel like my partner and I match more similarly \u2014 which has honestly been a plus,\u201d she says. While she now needs more lube than before, Tina reports she\u2019s seen \u201cno change in ability to have or frequency of orgasms.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While some people find the physical and sexual changes unbearable on their own, in a lot of cases, menopause can lead to temporary mood shifts caused by fluctuating hormones and in some cases, worsening of pre-existing mental health issues like depression.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen you\u2019re going through menopause, many times, you aren\u2019t ready to face some of these changes and it can feel like your body is breaking up with you,\u201d Dr. Ferdinand says. And as women, we are often conditioned to push through the discomfort and dark times.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"GridWrapper-cFSKbf cxzKYj grid grid-margins grid-items-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hkPQhP lnoYVP grid-layout--adrail narrow wide-adrail\" data-journey-hook=\"grid-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"GridItem-beYvyV kCPYUp grid--item grid-layout__content\">\n<div class=\"BodyWrapper-kzyFNv HDJd body body__container article__body\" data-journey-hook=\"client-content\" data-testid=\"BodyWrapper\">\n<div class=\"body__inner-container\">\n<p>\u201cMy perimenopausal depression started when I was 42,\u201d says Alle, a novelist living in Seattle. \u201cIt made me feel useless around the house, which resulted in a great deal of stress on my husband. By 46, I was yelling constantly at him \u2014 in front of our children \u2014 and several times, I came way too close to hitting them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Having sought professional mental health treatment and \u201cevery other remedy I could find,\u201d Alle\u2019s doctor finally recommended she opt in for surgical menopause, AKA a hysterectomy AKA removal of the uterus, to cut short her symptoms \u2014 an \u201cinsta-pause\u201d as Alle calls it. She says she found instant relief after the surgery, becoming, in her words, more \u201cfunctional.\u201d She started to rebuild a romantic life with her husband.<\/p>\n<aside aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"PullQuoteEmbedWrapper-sc-TKIUW kKNLCl\" data-testid=\"pullquote-embed-center\">\n<div class=\"PullQuoteEmbedContent-sc-lixSTo cQciWx\">\n<p>Try expanding your understanding of the word \u201csex.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>All this is to say, there is no one \u201cnormal\u201d way to experience sex after menopause. Your libido may completely plummet, increase 10 fold, or stay about the same. But there are plenty of ways to define what pleasure and sex looks like, regardless of what your body is going through.<\/p>\n<p>Communicate your needs to your partner and sit with whatever discomfort may come up, physical or otherwise. Try expanding your understanding of the word \u201csex.\u201d Maybe it doesn\u2019t include vaginal penetration \u2014 or any type of penetration \u2014 anymore. It can simply involve intimate acts, like hugging, kissing, cuddles, and sensual back rubs.<\/p>\n<p>Whether you are single or partnered, masturbation can be an incredibly rewarding process with the addition of aids, if needed. Vaginal dryness can be such a buzzkill, but using too much lube never hurt anyone. Dr. Ferdinand recommends a lube that\u2019s rich in vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, or even coconut oil. If you\u2019re into sex toys, like Eaton, invest in clitoral stimulators, vibrators, and other external toys if penetration is completely out of the question.<\/p>\n<p>At the end of the day, the most empowering thing you can do is to own your journey. Be self-aware. You know your body best. Take notice of the physical changes and mental shifts. Note how they make you feel and if you\u2019re genuinely having a tough time dealing with them. Bring a non-judgemental approach towards this period and remind yourself that this phase is completely normal.<\/p>\n<p>While it can be difficult to ask for help, it can be beneficial to be proactive in the early stages of perimenopause and assemble a care team who you know you can rely on for assistance. Who are the people in your life that you can text and call on for help anytime you need? Pick the friends and family who know you the best to check in on you and help you when you can\u2019t seem to advocate for yourself. Let them know you\u2019ll be there for them in return.<\/p>\n<p>And most importantly: Believe yourself. While menopause will inevitably cause some degree of discomfort and pain, you do not have to stay silent through the consequences of a changing body. If your symptoms are getting the better of you, don\u2019t let anyone tell you to just get over it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"GridWrapper-cFSKbf cxzKYj grid grid-margins grid-items-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hkPQhP lnoYVP grid-layout--adrail narrow wide-adrail\" data-journey-hook=\"grid-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"GridItem-beYvyV kCPYUp grid--item grid-layout__content\">\n<div class=\"BodyWrapper-kzyFNv HDJd body body__container article__body\" data-journey-hook=\"client-content\" data-testid=\"BodyWrapper\">\n<div class=\"body__inner-container\">\n<p>Advocating for yourself \u2014 and creating a happy, healthy sex life \u2014 during menopause might look like many different things. It can involve buying more lube to make sex more comfortable. It could be increasing the frequency of your appointments with a psychiatrist and getting a prescription for an antidepressant. You might opt for an affirming surgery, or one that relieves your symptoms. You know your body best, so listen to it and prioritize <em>your<\/em> needs.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><strong>Read more from Doing It:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>What Really Happens at a Sex Party<\/p>\n<p>My First Threesome Was Nothing Like What You See on TV<\/p>\n<p>What It&#8217;s Like to Try an Open Marriage After 10 Years of Monogamy<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><em>Follow Allure on\u00a0Instagram and\u00a0TikTok, or\u00a0subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on all things beauty.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p> Source URL: https:\/\/www.allure.com\/story\/sex-after-menopause<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>DOING IT What Having Sex After Menopause Is Really Like &#8220;I&#8217;d always loved sex, but it became astonishing.&#8221; By Varuna Srinivasan February 14, 2024 Getty Images Welcome toDoing It, a column where sex educator Dr. Varuna Srinivasan explores the deep connections between sex and emotions. This month, they speak to individuals about how their sex [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[52],"class_list":["post-1413400","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-allure-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1413400","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1413400"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1413400\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1413400"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1413400"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1413400"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}