Something that many people experience but few want to talk about is changes in their libidos. Whether you are in a long-term relationship or not, both men and women have periods of their lives when their libidos are either higher or lower than normal.
This article explores what the libido really is and how to have a healthy one in the most natural way possible.
What Is Libido?
Libido is a common term used for the human sex drive or the desire to be sexually active. Biological, psychological, and social factors all contribute to a person’s libido and how often sexual activity is desirable. Beyond just the act of having sex, libido is an indicator of overall health and quality of life. Libido is also linked to the biological urge to procreate and pass on a person’s unique genetic material.
Why Is Libido Important?
Libido is an important part of creating and maintaining romantic relationships for many people. If partners are not on the same page with their sexual desires, it can cause serious strains and make one or both people feel rejected, exhausted, or disappointed. In serious cases, sudden changes in libido could be a sign of an undiagnosed medical condition, especially one that is related to hormones or a neurological disorder.
Causes of Low Libido
Many different things can cause low libido, including disorders that impact your overall health and make you feel generally unwell. People may feel obligated to restrict their libido due to religious or moral reasons. Stress is a big reason for low libido, as well as grief, depression, and anxiety.
On the other side of things, a person can also start feeling an increase in sexual desire, which is known as hypersexuality. For example, many women who are pregnant report an increase in libido during certain stages of their pregnancy due to hormonal changes. People who have addictive personalities or who have substance abuse problems may experience hypersexuality along with other compulsive behaviors.
Natural Libido Boosters
There are plenty of prescription and over-the-counter medications in drugstores today that are marketed for increasing both the male and female libido. However, many of these drugs have not been thoroughly tested for safety and effectiveness, resulting in many unwanted side effects that are just as bad or worse than perceived libido abnormalities.
To take a more natural approach, certain foods are known to help boost the libido and called aphrodisiacs. Avocados, bananas, figs, and dark chocolate are some examples of aphrodisiac foods. Some types of seafood, such as oysters, as well a chili peppers, strawberries, and pistachio nuts may also help get you in the mood for romance. And even if they don’t boost your libido, these are healthy foods that are delicious to eat anyway!
Sometimes, boosting your libido is as simple as slowing down your pace of life or doing something special to change your routine. For example, instead of watching television while eating dinner with your partner every night, you could sit at the dining room table and have a romantic candlelit dinner with some soft music playing in the background to more fully focus on each other.
Certain natural herbs, such as ginkgo biloba, may help with sexual dysfunction as well. Feeling good about your body is another great way to get in the mood for sex, which is one of the many reasons why regular exercise is important in daily life.
Many people often blame their libido for low sexual desire when it is actually emotional issues in a relationship making one or both partners not want to have sex. Even though it can be awkward and uncomfortable, try to have open communication about sex with your partner so that you can work out any issues and determine whether a physical issue really is to blame and needs to be checked out by a medical professional.