One of the most overlooked signs of hormonal imbalances is having a low sex drive.
You write it off like you’re just busy. You had a crazy week at work, you’re stressed by deadlines, the kids have a lot of activities going on, you’re tired, and before you know it, you haven’t been intimate (or even thought about it) with your partner.
It’s one thing if you are busy, but still have desires. It’s a whole other thing (and a hormonal imbalance) when you’re busy, but sex is the furthest thing from your mind… like ever.
What’s Impacting Your Sex Drive?
Having a lower sex drive is linked to stress, hormonal fluctuations, and chronic health issues.
Specifically, lower estrogen, low progesterone, lower testosterone, high cortisol, and lower thyroid function, as well as insulin resistance, can all impact your sex drive.
Your sex drive may also fluctuate during your cycle. During your luteal phase, you may not have as high of a sex drive as you do in your ovulation phase.
And, if you’re in perimenopause or post menopause, your sex drive will experience changes as well.
It’s when your sex drive is completely MIA that you have a hormonal imbalance.
How to Get Your Groove Back
If you have a low to non-existent sex drive, you are not broken. There are several ways you can get your groove back!
Manage your stress levels
Stress depletes many of your hormones, especially if you are living with chronic stress. Stress also leads to illness and disease.
Managing your stress levels is unique to you. Some people thrive with breathwork and meditation, while others need to go outside and touch grass or get coffee with a friend.
Find micro moments throughout the day to manage your stress. It’s all about being proactive, not reactive when it comes to stress.
Increase testosterone through your diet
Yes, even women have testosterone and if your levels are low, your sex drive is negatively impacted.
This doesn’t mean you need to go on testosterone injections (though, I recommend talking to your doctor and getting bloodwork to know your levels). You can support your testosterone through the foods you eat.
Including foods in your diet like red meat, almonds, spinach, salmon, eggs, dates, and blueberries can support your testosterone and improve your sex drive.
Improve your thyroid health
Your thyroid may say it’s “in range”, but if you have a low sex drive, your thyroid may still be impacted. Your thyroid health also impacts your metabolism, your sleep, your body temperature, your weight, and more.
Through diet, you can support your thyroid. Reduce your processed food intake. But also adding in foods that have iodine (seafood, dairy, salt), selenium (brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, eggs), zinc (nuts, lean proteins), and B vitamins (fish, eggs).
Through your lifestyle, like managing your stress (see above!), moving your body, and prioritizing your sleep health.
Prioritize your sleep and recovery
When you sleep, your body is closing the open tabs, recovering from the day, building muscle, and balancing your hormones.
If you have poor sleep hygiene, it’s a stress on your body, which will impact your sex drive negatively.
Your sleep and recovery should be one of your top focuses to optimize your hormones.
Supplement to support your hormones
Though you should get bloodwork before adding in supplements to make sure your body actually needs them, a few supplements to consider for your sex drive are
Vitamin D
Magnesium
Zinc
Supplements alone will not fix your sex drive, but alongside other habits, they can help improve your sex drive.
Address vaginal dryness
For many women, dryness and pain have lowered their sex drive. And understandably so!
If you’re in perimenopause, post menopause, or experiencing dryness, increase your omega-3 rich foods, like salmon, oysters (part of why this is considered a sexy food!), chia seeds, flax seeds, and walnuts.
You can also use natural lubricants that are made with coconut oil, aloe vera, vitamin E oil, and or hemp seed oil.
In Conclusion…
Even if you have a busy lifestyle, but still don’t desire sex, this is a sign from your body that something needs to be addressed underneath the hood.
Your sex drive is a direct correlation to your hormones, how safe they feel, and if they’re in balance with your body.
Though it may be an uncomfortable topic for many women, you are not alone and you deserve to have a healthy sex drive!
If you want to see what other hormonal symptoms may be holding you back, take the FREE Hormone Symptom Analyzer.
Or, let’s schedule a complimentary Hormone Analysis Call to chat about what’s going on for you!
