13 Issues That Can Kill Your Libido

A healthy sex life is one of the most important things in a loving relationship, but there are many issues that can inhibit your libido and prevent you from getting the most out of your romantic experiences with your significant other.

The following are 13 issues that can reduce your sex drive and cause a romantic rift between you and your partner.

Relationship Problems Can Make Romance Hard to Come By

If you are having issues sexually with your partner, it may be time to take a step back and think about your relationship. Have you been fighting lately? Are you having trouble communicating?

You might be frustrated over your relationship and not even fully realize the effect that it's having on your sexual desire for one another.

Think about what made your relationship so strong in the past and take steps to restore the fading passion that you've been experiencing. Sometimes this can be as easy as a long, intimate talk, but if things are really rocky, you may benefit most from an ongoing appointment with a relationship specialist.

Stress Can Make it Hard to Enjoy Sex

You may not realize it, but chronic stress wreaks havoc on your body, mind, and soul. It causes your hormones to go out of balance and it increases the risk of a wide variety of medical conditions, in addition to just potentially making your life a struggle.

Stress can cause your libido to sink like a stone. It's hard to appreciate and enjoy sexual activity when you have a dozen other things on your mind, weighing you down.

There are a lot of things you can do to help relieve the stress and bring your libido back to normal, however. Try adding exercise to your daily routine, for example.

Physical activity is a natural vent for stress. Activities like meditation and yoga can also go a long way in alleviating your stress, by helping you take control of your mind and body.

Finally, if stress feels insurmountable to you, you can always talk to a physician or psychiatrist. There are good medications on the market that are highly effective in relieving stress in patients suffering from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and other psychological conditions associated with sexual inhibition.

Excess Consumption of Alcohol Can Make Sex Feel Like a Chore

A little bit of alcohol can do wonders for a night out with your partner, because of the effect that it has on inhibition.

A bit of alcohol can also boost your sex drive. Too much, however, and there's a good chance that you'll have issues getting sufficiently turned on to do the deed.

Alcohol abuse can also have an impact on your sex drive. Often, men that drink too much have major issues with Erectile Dysfunction relating directly to the depressant effects of Alcohol. Alcohol reduces activity levels in various parts of the brain, including those associated with sexual desire and function.

If you are looking for a way to avoid embarrassing issues at the end of your night, think about cutting yourself off after a few drinks. If you have regular issues with sexual functioning resulting from your drinking habits, make the conscious effort to curtail your drinking, and if you find yourself unable to do so, there are many support groups and facilities out there dedicated to helping you keep alcohol from taking over your life.

Sleep Disruption Inhibits Sex Drive

There are few things in this world that are more important than a good night's sleep. Even though you have no consciousness of the fact, your brain and body are working overdrive while you sleep to keep your body healthy and in peak condition.

If you don't get the sleep you need over the course of the night, this can cause a number of problems that negatively impact your health. It can even ruin your sex drive.

For one thing, your body produces a lot of Testosterone at night, and Testosterone is the primary factor responsible for priming your body for sex. It's even important for women!

If you have issues getting a full night's sleep, or you toss and turn through the night, your lack of interest in sex may very well be directly related to your sleeping issues.

Take responsible steps to promote healthy sleeping patterns. No caffeine after dark. No late meals. No heavy drinking. There are a lot of things that you can do to make your night's sleep more restful.

Also, if you are a heavy snorer or suffer from heavy fatigue in spite of sleeping eight hours or more, you may have sleep apnea, and if so, you can potentially experience life-changing results from treatment.

Children Can Make It Hard to Make Time For Romantic Affairs

This should come as no surprise, but having children can make it very hard to maintain an active and satisfying love life. There's no amount of money you'd pay to have them taken back, but it's hard to deny how much they get in the way of romance. There's a lot of things that you can do to keep your sex life active, even with children, however.

Think about calling your babysitter to take care of the kids for the night so that you can have a night out with your significant other, to take time out of your life specifically for each other.

If you both have flexible schedules, think about stealing a vacation or sick day away so you can spend time with your partner while the children are away at school. There are many creative ways that you can sprinkle the spice back into your love life.

Some Prescription Drugs Can Suppress Your Sex Drive

Prescription drugs are complicated, and often impact systems other than those they are intended to treat. Many of these medications have side effects related to sexual function and libido.

Luckily, there are often multiple drugs that can treat the same condition, and by changing medications, it is possible to avoid these symptoms. For other drugs, sexual dysfunction is a sign of overdose, and by dialing back the dosage, it is possible to get all the benefits of your medication without the sexual side effects.

These are some of the most common drugs that can cause issues with your sex drive:

• Selective-Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
• Blood Pressure Medications
• Birth Control Pills
• Cancer Treatment
• HIV Treatment
• Finasteride

Self-Perception Plays A Role In Libido

A healthy libido isn't all about your desire for your partner, it's also about appreciating your own body If you don't feel comfortable in your own skin, this can make it difficult for you to get yourself in a state where you can allow yourself to enjoy sex.

It often has nothing to do with your significant other, who may love you absolutely and want you no matter how you look. It all has to do with what's going on between your own ears.

There are a few awesome ways to take control of your self-image. For one, you can take the time to think about your body and learn to appreciate it. Many people with body-issues are perfectly beautiful or handsome, they just don't take the time to see it.

Second, if there are some things you would like to see change, take the time to be proactive and improve your health and body composition. Start working out. Start eating better. Schedule time with a personal trainer. Whatever it takes!

If you love someone with body issues just the way they are, take the time to appreciate their bodies and let them know you love them just the way they are. Don't go overboard, however, because this can backfire. Also, if they do want to improve their body, be supportive. Think about joining them in their quest!

Obesity Can Obstruct Sexual Drive and Function

Being significantly overweight hinders your health and wellness in a wide variety of ways. Obesity reduces your aerobic capacity in the bedroom, making active sex a lot of effort. It can also get in your head.

If you don't appreciate your body, it can make it difficult for you to believe that others can appreciate it as well, which can lead to severe issues with intimacy.

Obesity also contributes to Low-T, because your adipose fat cells naturally convert Testosterone into female sex hormones, because these cells contain Aromatase, an enzyme designed to create Estrogen from Testosterone.

The more body fat that you carry, the more Testosterone that you will lose through this conversion, which also impacts sexual desire and ability.

If you are overweight, make the real and conscious decision to take off the pounds if you want to improve your sex life and also potentially add years to your life. If you find it difficult to achieve on your own, make an appointment with a licensed nutritionist or a physician that can help you explore your weight loss options.

Erectile Dysfunction Deflates Sexual Confidence

If you suffer from Erectile Dysfunction for any reason, this can have a devastating effect upon your sexual confidence. Even if the desire is there, your fear of not being able to seal the deal may make you afraid of trying to engage in sex with your partner.

Over time, this inhibition can cause your sexual frustration to give way to sexual apathy.

Luckily, there are a lot of treatments out there that can treat Erectile Dysfunction and get you back in gear for sex. Drugs like Viagra and Cialis are always an option, but strongly consider getting tested for Testosterone Deficiency before turning to popular ED Drugs, because you may just be treating the symptoms rather than the root cause of Sexual Insufficiency.

Testosterone Deficiency is correlated with a number of other issues which can powerfully impact your health, including cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes. By combining your treatment with smart lifestyle choices, you can vastly improve your health.

Low-T Inhibits Sex Drive

Testosterone is the be-all, end-all with regard to sex. Without Testosterone, neither men nor women would be able to generate sexual desire, nor would their bodies be prepared for sexual activity.

The problem with Testosterone is that, even though it plays this vital role, our bodies lose the ability to produce it over time.

Testosterone Deficiency is a slow, yet insidious, process that begins around thirty years of age among men. Low-T starts to become an issue for women in the years leading up to menopause and beyond. It often takes years for Low-T to become problematic, but when it does, it can have a devastating effect upon your sex life.

If you feel that Testosterone Deficiency is suppressing your desire for sex and romantic activity, Bio-Identical Testosterone Therapy can help lovers of both sexes return to levels of intimacy that they once experienced in the early years of their relationship.

Depression Can Suffocate Sex Drive

We mentioned stress earlier, but depression can also have a major impact on your ability to enjoy the love and companionship of your partner. It can also reduce your interest in sex.

If you don't have the ability to appreciate yourself and love your self, it can be difficult to believe that others can feel strongly for you.

If you think that you may be a victim of depression, there's no sense in living with it. Understand that often, depression is more the result of our biology than our circumstances and that by treating depression, you can open up new doors and avenues in your life, as well as allow yourself to engage in romantic activities more fruitfully.

It's important to realize, during treatment, that there are some drugs that can inhibit libido in certain patients. If you experience a drop in libido resulting from your medication, then your doctor can prescribe you with an alternative that can improve your psychological balance while restoring and sustaining your sex drive.

Menopause Can Alter Your Libido

Menopause causes a lot of changes in a woman's life, and often, it leads to diminished sexual desire. This isn't a universal symptom of the disorder, but many women start to experience issues in generating desire during this period.

This loss of desire can also extend into issues of sexual function. Women need to experience arousal just like men do to be ready for sex. If not, sex can be uncomfortable or even painful, due to vaginal dryness and other issues.

Many women struggle with sexual desire during Menopause because of psychological issues. Making the effort to keep yourself feeling fit and attractive during this period can help keep your sex drive active during this turbulent time. If this is not enough, Hormone Replacement Therapy may be the best option for your sexual health.

Sex Drive Is Sometimes Hindered By a Lack of Romantic Intimacy

A big part of a healthy sex life is the love and passion that you share with your partner. This goes beyond just sex, it has to do with the way that you experience life together.

If a couple doesn't spend enough time together, this can lead to issues generating sexual desire during the time that you do share.

In order to foster a healthy sexual relationship, it's important to take the time to remind each other why you enjoy each other in other ways, because it's not just about sex.

Take the time to go out on a date. Go to the beach for the weekend on a whim. Just try being more open with your lover in order to increase the intimacy of your relationship.

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