A person’s sex drive or libido naturally fluctuates throughout his or her lifetime. It can reach high levels when in a new relationship, and it can drop because of stress and pressure from work, school, or other unfortunate life circumstances.
But, if this lack of interest in sex goes on for a long time or keeps happening frequently, you may want to go see your doctor and undergo a medical exam. You may have hypoactive sexual desire disorder, which is a sexual dysfunction characterized by the absence or lack of desire for sexual activities or even sexual fantasies.
What causes low sex drive?
There are many different things that can reduce one’s sex drive or libido. The following are some examples:
Diseases
Several medical diseases can negatively impact a person’s sex drive or libido, including:
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High blood pressure
This is an illness in which the force of the blood against the artery walls reach higher than normal levels, increasing your risk of heart disease.
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Diabetes
This is a condition characterized by having higher than normal blood glucose or sugar levels, triggering many symptoms, such as urinating more frequently, increased thirst, blurry vision, extreme hunger, slow-healing wounds and cuts, and unexplained weight loss.
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Coronary artery disease
This disease occurs when the coronary arteries are blocked or narrowed due to cholesterol buildup and fatty deposits, causing symptoms like pain or burning sensation in the chest, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and pressure in the shoulders or arms.
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Arthritis
This condition is characterized as the swelling or inflammation of the joints — such as the knees, ankles, fingers, and feet — and is quite common among the elderly.
Lifestyle habits
There are certain lifestyle practices and habits that can contribute to reduced sex drive or libido, such as:
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Excessive alcohol consumption
Excessive alcohol consumptionAlcohol contains elements that can negatively affect your libido, so learn to control your drinking.
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Smoking
Cigarettes and tobacco not only can cause damage to your lungs but also to your sex drive, as they contain compounds that can decrease blood flow to your sexual parts.
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Drug abuse
Cocaine, marijuana, barbiturates, amphetamines, opiates, and methadone are examples of drugs that can reduce libido and cause other sexual health problems if frequently abused.
Others
Other factors that can cause a decrease in libido or sex drive are:
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Mental health problems
If you are suffering from depression, anxiety, or some other mental health condition, you are likely to experience a decline in your sex drive.
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Stress
If your stress levels are always high, your body produces more cortisol and epinephrine, which are two hormones that can cause reduced sexual desire.
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Certain treatments
Chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery for the treatment of prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and other diseases may decrease your sex drive.
How can you boost your sex drive and enjoy sex more?
Making healthy lifestyle choices can make a huge difference in your sex drive or libido. Below are highly recommended remedies for low libido that are safe and natural:
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Regular exercise
Do you have a job where you spend most of your time sitting in front of the computer? Do you prefer to stay home on weekends and binge-watch movies and television series to going outside? When was the last time you spent an hour at the gym?
Living a sedentary lifestyle is not good for your sex drive and overall sexual health. It makes you prone to heart disease and other health problems that can influence your desire for sex. For optimal health, you should get at least 20 to 30 minutes of moderate exercise three times a week.
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Eat more testosterone-boosting foods
Did you know that testosterone is key to your sexual performance? Which of the foods that you love to eat can actually help increase your body’s testosterone levels? Are you ready to make some changes in your day-to-day meals to enhance your sex life?
Testosterone is a hormone that is present in both men and women. In men, it is considered the primary male sex hormone and is important in the regulation of sex drive or libido. So, for high sex drive, you should keep your testosterone levels normal by eating foods that are known for their testosterone-boosting abilities, such as watermelon, bananas, pomegranate, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage.
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Learn to manage your stress
Are you always stressed and are not enjoying life anymore? Does your job or school work demand so much for you that you get so overwhelmed and feel like crying all the time?
When you are stressed, your body produces higher amounts of the hormones cortisol and epinephrine, which causes a decrease in your testosterone levels. With low testosterone in the body, your sex drive or libido will also decrease. To fix that, you should try stress management techniques like meditation or yoga, which can help relax and clear your mind.
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Control your alcohol intake
Do you like to drink a can or two of beer for dinner? Is it difficult to enjoy a meal without some vodka or gin around? How often do you go drinking with friends?
The amount of alcohol that you consume can influence your sexual health. If you drink too much, it can make it difficult for your body to produce enough testosterone for libido regulation, resulting in reduced desire for sex and impaired sexual and reproductive function. To keep your libido up, limit yourself to up to 2 drinks a day.
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Get enough sleep
Do you have trouble sleeping every night? What time do you usually go to bed and wake up? Do you often stay up late and wake up feeling so groggy and exhausted in the morning?
Sleep is vital to good health and wellbeing. Like food and exercise, it helps keep your vital parts strong and healthy. If you lack sleep, many of your bodily functions and processes are negatively impacted, and you develop a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, mental health problems, brain dysfunction, and other medical conditions. Your testosterone production is also affected, causing a decrease in your testosterone levels, which can lead to low sex drive, reduced sperm count and quality, erectile dysfunction, and infertility. For the good of your sexual health and overall health, strive to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night.
