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Concrete tips for your love lifeSex during menopause – this is how desire comes back!
Sexuality also changes during menopause. Talk about it!
picture alliance/Imagesource RF | Christine Schneider
Let's talk about sex, baby!
Many women associate menopause with hot flashes, insomnia, and mood swings. There is one topic that people tend to keep silent about: Sex and loss of desire. Not here!
Katja Burkard: This is how hormones helped her
RTL presenter Katja Burkard (60) has long been open about her menopausal experiences – including the topic of sexuality: “It's a fairy tale that women don't feel like having sex during menopause. Women want to good Sex.”
For her, menopause did not begin with classic hot flashes, but rather with massive mood swings. “Boxer Mike Tyson was a cuddly kitten compared to me,” she says looking back. It was only through hormone therapy that she realized what was going on with her – and how the hormonal change affects her everyday life, including her sexuality.
Declining estrogen and progesterone levels can lead to vaginal dryness, pain during sex, reduced excitability, and loss of libido. Medical guidelines show: Individually adapted hormone therapy can help exactly here, which is what Katja Burkhard has also experienced: “Many people think they are getting cancer or having a stroke. But there are tailor-made, bioidentical hormones for the majority of those who have no pre-existing cancer or vascular disease.”
According to current guidelines, for many healthy women under the age of 60 or in the first few years after the start of menopause, the benefits outweigh the possible risks. Nevertheless, it is always important that the therapy is supervised by a doctor and tailored to the individual.
Reading tip: Premenopause? Perimenopause? When menopause really starts!
What specifically helps women – practical tips for everyday life
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Rethink desire, not prove it: Sex doesn’t have to be wild or “like it used to be.” Lust changes over the years – it often becomes more conscious, more emotional. Pressure is the biggest pleasure killer.
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Treat vaginal dryness: It is not an isolated case, but a frequently observed side effect. Pain during sex is easily treatable – talk openly to your gynecologist. In practice, the following treatment options can be observed to alleviate symptoms: As not hormonal Measures: vaginal moisturizers, gels or suppositories; high quality lubricants. As hormonal Measures: local estrogens (cream, suppositories); if necessary, systemic hormone therapy.
If the symptoms are more severe, locally applied estrogens can provide relief. Gynecologist and menopause expert Dr. says about the use of a so-called cream. Katharina van der Grinten: “If you have pain or feel a little dry during intercourse, I would use it externally. Apply about a centimeter of cream to the finger and then apply it around the vagina, at six o'clock insert the finger a little and that's it.”
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Talk – even when it’s uncomfortable: Katja Burkard advises: “During the menopause, many women feel the need to tidy up internally. But you should take your partner with you and include them. If you succeed, the menopause is even an opportunity for love.” Speak openly with your partner about what has changed – not just what is no longer possible.
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Body-friendly behavior in everyday life strengthens desire: What sounds simple is scientifically proven: lifestyle has an influence on libido.
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Regular exercise
Institutions like Harvard Medical School highlight the positive effects of exercise on energy, mood and sexual function. -
Good sleep
Poor sleep disrupts hormone regulation and can lower libido. The National Sleep Foundation emphasizes that sleep quality is closely linked to sexual health. -
Reduce stress
The American Psychological Association lists stress as one of the most common causes of decreased desire. -
Reduce alcohol and sugar
Regular high consumption can affect sexual well-being.
Conclusion: Menopause is not a phase-out model for sexuality. Katja Burkard gets to the point: No sex is not a solution. But good sex makes you enjoy life! (Quote?)
Sources used: German Menopause Society, European Menopause and Andropause Society, Harvard Medical School, American Psychological Association, National Sleep Foundation, Mayo Clinic
