A state of sexual interest, or sexual attraction (libido) is the normal state of any man and woman of reproductive age. Libido is present in all people, starting from puberty, when girls and young people first become interested in the opposite sex, and ending with advanced age, and, as a rule, a certain libido persists until the end of a person’s life.

A state of sexual interest, or sexual attraction (libido) is the normal state of any man and woman of reproductive age. Libido is present in all people, starting from puberty, when girls and young people first become interested in the opposite sex, and ending with advanced age, and, as a rule, a certain libido persists until the end of a person’s life.

The sexual attraction of women remains a mystery to both men and, often, to women themselves. In some periods of life, it is stronger, while in others it is significantly reduced. What does it depend on? As you know, hormones: estrogen and testosterone play a large role in the occurrence or decrease of sexual desire. But not only them. Sexual attraction depends on many factors: hormonal, age, physiological, as well as heredity.

In the formation of libido, psychological and social factors also play a role. They ensure the selectivity of sexual desire, forming a certain image of an ideal partner. In this case, sexual attraction is the stronger, the more similarity the object of attraction has with the ideal image of a sexual partner. This image begins to form in adolescents during puberty, when its main features are laid – gender, age, behavior, attitude towards a partner. The formation and adjustment of the image of the ideal partner lasts a lifetime, and as a result of serious psychological trauma and upheaval, he can undergo very significant changes.

20 years old: Lonely girl.

By the time women reach the age of twenty, most of them have a regular menstrual cycle – and sexual desire is increasing or decreasing, depending on this cycle. On the days when ovulation occurs, the desire of women is at its peak, and they quickly get an orgasm than in other periods of the cycle. And this is not accidental, because in this period the highest probability of becoming pregnant.

Contrary to popular belief, 20 years is not necessarily a time of unbridled desire for sex. Many young girls in this period of life often complex about their appearance and figure, moreover, during this period of their life their concerns are often associated with professional growth and the search for a more or less permanent partner. According to studies, unmarried women are twice as likely as married women to be anxious about their sexual abilities and suffer from sexual problems. Women have a greater interest in sex when they are in a stable relationship.

If a twenty-year-old woman does not have regular sexual relations, then her interest in sex often decreases. Studies show that in women who have sex less than once a week, the menstrual cycle often becomes irregular and there are problems with ovulation.

Sexually transmitted diseases can also reduce interest in sex, because of shame and fear of being infected again. Two-thirds of people who have had STDs are people under the age of 25, and women are more likely to become infected than men.

The most popular method of contraception in young women is hormonal pills. They can affect libido in different ways. In some women, they inhibit the production of testosterone, the hormone responsible for sexual desire, and because of this, it decreases sharply. In other women, on the contrary, sexual desire increases, due to the fact that a woman can relax and not be afraid of an unplanned pregnancy. If partners use a condom for protection, the severity of sexual sensations decreases, and sexual desire can also decrease.

30 years: Married and with children

By the time a woman turns 30, she is already fully aware of her sexual needs and preferences. Most women are married by this time, and their libido blooms in a strong and safe relationship. Reducing sexual desire can only be the birth of a child or career problems.

Women’s sexual practices are also being improved. Women easily reach orgasm after 30 years, which can stimulate desire. On average, women are least likely to complain about problems in their sexual lives during the first years after marriage and before giving birth. And although after 35 years the level of testosterone begins to gradually decrease, sexual desire is not necessarily weakened.

For many modern women, this age remains reproductive. During the second trimester of pregnancy, when a woman is no longer suffering from toxicosis, many note an increase in sexual desire. In this, hormones play a large role (progesterone levels increase thousands of times, and estrogen hundreds of times), as well as a close emotional connection with your partner. With an increase in hormone levels, the moisturizing lubricant of the vagina improves. The pressure of the growing fetus on the genitals also plays a role in increasing sexual desire. If, in addition, the unborn child is a boy, then the level of testosterone becomes even higher, and the libido increases accordingly.

After giving birth, many women admit that they don’t want to think about sex. The reason for this is both overwork and a decrease in hormone levels. The level of testosterone decreases significantly, although it quickly returns to normal. The number of sex with a partner can drop to 2-3 times in 4 months, moreover, they can often be accompanied by pain and dryness of the vagina, 70% of women experience these problems during the first six months from the birth of the baby.

But even if the amount of hormones is at a normal level, women often experience too much stress after giving birth, killing any desire to make love. They are under constant pressure, torn between caring for the baby, older children and household chores.

Breastfeeding also inhibits the production of hormones. Therefore, nursing mothers experience something like menopause. However, usually all these unpleasant symptoms disappear a few months after the birth of the baby, and the woman’s sexual desires are restored, and often intensified.

40 years old: fabulous forties.

In forty-year-old women, the level of hormones continues to decrease gradually. Despite this, in middle age, most women experience a surge in sexuality. This is facilitated in particular by the fact that many women by this time have had a successful career, have grown up children, have financial stability, and are no longer under such stress as younger women.

According to studies, as women get older, sexual problems tend to decrease. Women over forty already know their sexual needs well, have enough time and energy to enjoy sex, and, as a rule, reach new heights of sexual satisfaction. The sad irony is that in men, on the contrary, as they age, sexual problems increase.

In the period from 40 to 50 years, women also enter the period preceding menopause, when estrogen and testosterone levels begin to decline. This period usually begins around 46 years. About half of women over 45 begin to experience some symptoms inherent in the menopause, such as menstrual irregularities and vaginal dryness. But even a decrease in sexual desire does not mean that a woman experiences less pleasure from making love. When you are over forty, you may not have a spontaneous desire to have sex, but your ability to achieve orgasm is unlikely to change during this period. 

In women older than forty, a disorder of the thyroid gland often begins, which produces hormones important for the proper functioning of the body. By the age of forty this disorder is found in 1 woman out of 15, by the age of fifty – in 1 out of 10.

Hypothyroidism, or a decrease in thyroid activity, is the main reason for a decrease in sexual desire at this age. Women with this disorder may also experience increased fatigue, depression, and weight gain. Fortunately, synthetic hormone treatments can alleviate these symptoms.

50 years: the beginning of a new life.

Menopause in women most often occurs at 47-48 years and lasts an average of 1.5-2 years; Also, early menopause, up to 40 years old and late, after 55 years, can sometimes be observed.

When women enter menopause, usually around 51 years old, about 40% of women begin to experience a significant decrease in sexual desire or other sexual dysfunctions. And this is not surprising: during this period, the production by the ovaries of estrogen, the hormone “responsible” for the moistening of the vagina and the rush of blood to the genitals, is significantly reduced. Testosterone levels are also declining.

The onset of menopause can be judged by the appearance of menstrual irregularities or by indirect signs in conditions when it still persists. Menstruation changes in rhythm, intensity, becomes meager and gradually stops; age-related changes in the genital organs occur – the mucous membrane of the vagina becomes thin, loses elasticity, the uterus decreases in size. The basis of menopause are violations of the cyclical secretion of hormones that determine the activity of the pituitary and ovaries.

Hormone replacement therapy, which usually includes a combination of estrogen and a synthetic version of progesterone, is shown to many women during this period. Although hormone replacement therapy effectively treats menopausal symptoms, such as vaginal dryness and so-called “hot flashes,” it can lower testosterone levels, which does not contribute to sexual desire. As a result, many doctors began to prescribe testosterone in addition to hormone replacement therapy.

In most women, sexuality in the menopause and at its completion practically does not change. The feeling of sexual inferiority experienced by some during this period is not justified by anything and can significantly reduce sexual desire, especially in people in whom it was poorly developed. In exceptional cases, during this period, some sections of the genital organs are reduced so much that the coitus becomes painful, which leads to the loss of a woman’s sexual desire. Given that female sexuality is very psychological, during menopause, the psycho-emotional component, feelings of understanding, respect, affectionate care can play a major role in intimate relationships.