Is There a Link Between Lack of Sleep & Lack of Libido?
This post is especially for older women who often suffer from sleeping problems. But they might not realise that sleeping problems can lead to sex problems too.
If she can have the benefit of uninterrupted sleep night after night, an older woman is much more likely to have an increased sexual appetite and increased satisfaction too.
Why is this?
According to the Director of the North American Menopause Society, Dr JoAnn Pinkerton, she says: "Women and health care providers need to recognize the link between menopause symptoms and inadequate sleep and their effects on sexual satisfaction." So there is a link between lack of sleep and lack of libido. This same Society has been carrying out some high number research where they looked at a total of 98,668 women between the ages of fifty to seventy nine years. Thirty one percent of these women were suffering from insomnia.What did the research find?
- Those women older than seventy who slept less than five hours a night were thirty percent less likely to be sexually active than women who achieved seven to eight hours of sleep.
- These same figures remained constant even after adjusting for other possible causes of lack of sleep such as depression and chronic disease.
Why we need to improve female sleeping patterns
20% of the US population suffer from insomnia. Insomnia is very common and it is more common in women than in men especially as they grow older with sleeping pills being the most prescribed medication in the world If we don’t have sufficient, good quality sleep at night, it affects our day times too. We can feel tired, lethargic and irritable, lack energy or have difficulty concentrating. Our memories, reaction times and general alertness can all be impaired as well as our productivity at work or our patience with those around us. Our personal relationships can be affected and perhaps it is not even safe for us to drive. In a warm room with a full stomach or in the presence of white noise, we can sometimes find it difficult to remain awake during the day. If we don’t resolve the problem of insomnia, our immune system can be affected, lowering our resistance to disease and infections. Our earlier post will give you some suggestions for achieving that improved sleeping pattern.How to improve female libido
The female libido will often peak in mid menstrual cycle and again premenstrual. These two types of sexual experience are different and there are strong links with hormones. Female libido does change throughout the menstrual cycle as do many other aspects of female life such as energy levels and emotions. During mid menstrual cycle, the hormones come into play. Two of the hormones linked to female desire are testosterone and estrogen. Women have about one tenth the volume of testosterone compared to men but nevertheless it plays a dramatic role in many aspects of the female physiology and quality of life, including libido and sexual satisfaction. Apart from the menstrual cycle, many women will experience a decrease in sexual desire or satisfaction at some point in their lives due to stress or depression; childbirth, menopause or hormonal fluctuations. Many women ignore this decrease in sexual desire or satisfaction thinking that it is just something that happens and not something that can be corrected. In spite of modern conveniences, today’s lifestyle is still tough on women and it is not just older women who suffer. Fatigue, constant responsibility, the demands of both the workplace and home, the difficulty of maintaining a healthy diet in the busy day and enough exercise all have a detrimental effect on a woman’s sexuality. A good sex life can be at the very bottom on her list of priorities. It is at such times that a female sex enhancer can be helpful - whatever your age. Many women become resigned to losing their desire for sex and, come to think of it as a duty (to be over and done with as quickly as possible) – but perhaps it is time for the males to step up and do their bit to help their partners lift that libido. There are lots of natural ways that have been found to help.
Written by Jane Chitty
Jane writes for Healing Natural Oils, a producer and retailer of high-quality, all-natural treatments for a variety of conditions as well as a range of beauty products. Apart from writing about those various conditions, she also covers general health, environmental and other subjects of interest. She has lived in Kenya as well as Cape Town, South Africa and spent time in San Diego, USA. She now lives in Somerset, England with regular visits from her far-flung children and grandchildren. She is a keen gardener and enjoys growing fresh fruit and vegetables with her husband on their joint allotment. As a result, there is something available to use in the kitchen virtually all year round. Her regular posts can be found on our blog.