Sponsored by Bonafide Health
For some women, menopause comes with sexual liberation: Say goodbye to unplanned-pregnancy scares! So long, menstrual bleeding! But for others, menopause can feel like someone poured a big glass of cold water on their once-steamy sex life: The sudden drops in estrogen and progesterone can lead to a variety of side effects that may cause sex to suddenly feel uncomfortable, less satisfying, or less appealing. But this isn’t the time to suffer in silence. If women can star in films or anchor the news during the menopause transition, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t also have great sex.
That’s why we called in an expert, Alyssa Dweck, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Bonafide Health. She’s helped us identify the symptoms that can impact your sex life during menopause, and shares how to banish them from the bedroom, and bring back your spark.
Recognize the symptoms
We all know about the common symptoms of menopause: hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and mood changes, to name a few. But understanding how these symptoms impact your sex life is the first step in taking back control of your own desire.
Decreased Sexual Satisfaction
Sexual satisfaction is hard to define, but you certainly know it when you feel it. And that state typically begins with a number of factors, including libido, aka sex drive. “To put it in colloquial terms,” says Dr. Dweck, “It’s how horny you are.” This is different from arousal, which refers to your body’s physiological response before sex: “In women,” says Dr. Dweck, “it’s the natural lubrication in the vagina and the blood flow to your reproductive organs that happens when you’re turned on.” It’s clear how this works in men: Arousal leads to an increase of blood flow to the genitals, and causes an erection. But the same is actually true for women: When you’re turned on, blood flow increases to your genitals, increasing sensation and helping you reach orgasm. Unfortunately, when estrogen levels decline during menopause, a very common side effect is decreased blood flow to the genitals during sex, which can decrease sensation and make it more difficult to orgasm.
Vaginal Dryness
One thing many women notice during menopause is a decline in vaginal lubrication, which can make sex uncomfortable — and can even make you dread doing the deed: “If you’re anticipating pain because you’re experiencing vaginal dryness as a result of perimenopause or menopause, that can also have a major impact on sexual satisfaction,” says Dr. Dweck. Self-esteem plays a role, too: If you’re anxious about changes to your body during menopause, that can impact both sexual satisfaction and sexual function. And while symptoms like hot flashes will stop, for the majority of women, post-menopause, vaginal dryness generally doesn’t get better over time: “It’s a chronic and progressive symptom of menopause — and if not managed it will continue and potentially worsen.”
Hot Flashes
If you’ve ever had a hot flash, you know that they can cause excessive sweating, extreme discomfort, and sleep disruption. And to add insult to injury, they can also put a major damper on your bedroom activities: The last thing many women want to do when they feel sweaty and uncomfortable is have sex, so if you get night sweats and typically have sex at night, that combo can be a recipe for disaster. Plus, since hot flashes disrupt sleep, the last thing you might want to do when you’re exhausted — after a night of tossing and turning and staring at the clock — is to have sex.
The treatment options
If you’ve experienced one (or all) of these symptoms during menopause, there are over-the-counter solutions that can help you take back control of your sex life. One of these is Ristela, a supplement that increases blood flow to the genitals for women. Made of French maritime pine bark extract, two natural amino acids called L-arginine and L-citrulline, and rose-hip extract, Ristela can be taken daily either as a tablet or dissolvable drink mix. “The combination of these ingredients causes an increased production of nitric oxide, a hormone which increases an enzyme called ENOS, which dilates the blood vessels,” Dr. Dweck explains. “This enhances blood flow to the genitals during sex, which for many women leads to heightened physical arousal and orgasm.”*
If discomfort from vaginal dryness is your primary issue, Dr. Dweck suggests a vaginal moisturizer, like Revaree Plus. Unlike lube, which is typically used during sex as needed, vaginal moisturizers work like any other moisturizer: You use them regularly to manage and prevent dryness. What sets Revaree Plus apart, according to Dr. Dweck, is that it’s made with 10mg of hyaluronic acid: “That’s a substance our bodies create naturally, and it’s able to bind almost 1,000 times its weight in water, which makes it incredible at combating dryness. But that production declines with age.”
And if you’re one of the three in four women who experiences hot flashes during menopause, Dr. Dweck has a suggestion for you, too. These uncomfortably steamy moments are commonly triggered by a peptide called neurokinin B (or NKB), and estrogen helps regulate NKB activity. But when your estrogen levels drop during menopause, that NKB activity rapidly increases, causing you to overheat and have a hot flash. “Hot flashes and night sweats can have a hugely detrimental impact on women’s sex lives, and Thermella is a great option for women, particularly if they aren’t interested in or aren’t candidates for hormone therapy.” Thermella is a non-prescription supplement from Bonafide that effectively blocks NKB activity using a unique formulation of curcumin, spirulina extract, and decaffeinated green tea extract. In clinical trials, 94% of women experienced fewer hot flashes & night sweats in one month.**
The bottom line
Menopause doesn’t have to mean the end of a satisfying sex life — in fact, it can be the perfect time to embrace new solutions and take more control of your intimate health. And remember: Communication during this life phase is key, whether it’s with your doctor or your partner, so don’t be afraid to speak up and explore what works for you. Menopause might bring some challenges, but with the right tools, it doesn’t have to put the kibosh on your bedroom bliss.
*In clinical trials, the ingredients in Ristela improved sexual satisfaction as compared to placebo within 2 months.
**In clinical trials, Thermella relieved hot flashes as compared to placebo within 3 months.
