Yes, You Can Still Have an Orgasm After Menopause!

Effects of Menopause 

Menopause is an important and natural transition in a woman’s life, marking the cessation of menstruation and the reproductive phase. It is important to understand the physiological changes that occur in the body during this period.

1. Changes in Hormones:

• A fall in oestrogen and progesterone (sex hormones) levels cause menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, vaginal dryness and reduced sex drive.

2. Vaginal Changes:

• Low oestrogen levels cause your vagina to lose its thickness and elasticity and make it dry. This leads to discomfort during sex and affects sexual enjoyment, but does not prevent you from having an orgasm.

3. Physical and Emotional Changes:

• Other menopausal symptoms like mood swings, sleep disturbances and changes in the way you feel about your body can affect your sexual health and libido.

Can You Still Have an Orgasm After Menopause?

Even though your body goes through a lot of changes during menopause, losing your ability to feel pleasure is definitely not one of them. With proper awareness and small adjustments, you can experience satisfying orgasms, which may even be better than before!

Did you know that each woman experiences menopause differently?

Based on your overall and emotional well-being, as well as your relationships, the way you perceive postmenopausal sexual pleasure can vary. Some women may notice a drop in sexual satisfaction post-menopause, while others continue to enjoy orgasms as they always have. 

Factors That Can Affect Orgasms After Menopause

Let us look into the factors that can affect a woman’s libido after menopause:

1. Vaginal Atrophy:

• Menopause causes a rapid fall in the hormone oestrogen, which makes your vaginal wall thin out and drier, making it lose its elasticity. This makes sex uncomfortable or even painful and makes it harder for you to reach orgasm.

2. Reduced Libido:

• Hormonal changes happening in your body at menopause can also reduce your desire to have sex, making it harder to get aroused and enjoy a fulfilling sexual activity.

3. Psychological Factors:

• The mental symptoms of menopause are as real as the physical ones. Menopausal changes can lower your self-esteem and mood and make you feel less confident. Stress and anxiety occurring during this phase can make you lose interest in sex. Learn how to manage your mental health the natural way during menopause.

4. Chronic Health Conditions:

• Menopause, which occurs around your 50s, also coincides with the time of onset of most long-standing health concerns like diabetes, cardiovascular disease or joint-related conditions like arthritis. These conditions can also impact your sexual wellness after menopause.

How to Improve Orgasms After Menopause?

Women may expect to spend more than a third of their lives after menopause. During this time, it becomes important to prioritise not just your physical and mental well-being but also a satisfying sexual life. 

While more than half of the women in the postmenopausal phase experience a loss of interest in sex, it is possible to get back the desire and enhance orgasms with the right methods.

1. Using Lubricants:

• Using lubricants or vaginal moisturisers can help you overcome the discomfort or pain during sex caused by vaginal dryness during menopause. This can make sex more enjoyable for you, thereby facilitating orgasm.

2. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT):

• The naturally decreased oestrogen levels in your body can be replaced through Hormone Replacement Therapy. When progesterone, along with oestrogen, is used, it is called combined HRT. HRT can be in the form of pills, patches or injections and reduces menopausal symptoms like vaginal dryness and loss of libido, making sex more pleasurable.

3. Pelvic Floor Exercises (Kegels):

Your pelvic floor muscles play an important role in orgasm by contracting involuntarily. Practising Kegel exercises can strengthen these muscles and bring a positive change in sensation and comfort during sex.

4. Talk to Your Partner:

• Changes in sexual interest post-menopause can leave your partner confused. Communicate openly about what makes you feel good and work together towards improving your intimacy and sexual satisfaction.

5. Try Out Different Sexual Positions:

• Do not hesitate to experiment with new sexual positions with your partner to discover what provides you more stimulation or comfort and helps you experience an orgasm.

6. Clitoral Stimulation:

• Many women post-menopause find that stimulation of the clitoris (a small sensitive organ located above the vaginal opening) either during sex or other forms of sexual touch helps them have a satisfying orgasm. 

7. Mindfulness and Relaxation:

• All the changes you go through during menopause can take a toll on your mental health. Reduced oestrogen causes low mood, stress and anxiety, which might lower your self-esteem. Methods to relieve stress, like mindfulness, yoga, and breathing techniques, can help you feel much better and embrace yourself, allowing you to enjoy sexual activity and experience orgasms.

8. Sexual Therapy or Counselling:

• If emotional problems like body image issues, anxiety or relationship problems are affecting your sexual satisfaction, speak to a therapist or counsellor to get the support and guidance you need to overcome it.

Impact of Lifestyle on Sexual Health Post-menopause

The lifestyle choices you make can significantly impact sexual health after menopause. Adopting healthy habits can improve your overall sexual wellness. 

Here are some lifestyle tips to improve your sexual life:

1. Regular Exercise:

• Regular exercise can keep your body healthy by improving blood circulation and also by maintaining a healthy weight. Exercising outdoors and being exposed to air and natural sunlight can uplift your mood and improve your overall health. You can choose any form of exercise you enjoy, but remember to practise it consistently to enhance your physical, mental and sexual well-being.

2. Healthy Diet:

• Including fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats while limiting sugary, oily and processed foods can help you regain hormonal balance and maintain overall health, including sexual wellness.

Read more - How Does Nutrition Help Cope With Menopause Symptoms?

3. Manage Stress:

• High-stress levels can lower your libido, which interferes with sexual satisfaction. By practising stress-relieving techniques like yoga, meditation and deep breathing, you can calm your mind, improve your mood, strengthen your relationships and enhance intimacy, thereby improving your sexual health.

4. Adequate Sleep:

• Ensure that you get sufficient sleep of at least 7-9 hours as this helps regularise your hormone levels, improve mood, boosts energy and enhances overall health.

When to Seek Professional Help

Are you feeling that the sexual discomfort is becoming more persistent and lack of interest in sex is affecting your relationship? It is important to talk to your doctor if these sexual concerns start impacting your daily life.  Here are some conditions that might require professional help:

• Persistent discomfort in your vaginal area, like dryness and pain during sex, which is affecting your sexual desire and ability to orgasm.
• Loss of libido, leading to reduced intimacy, misunderstandings and strained emotional connections with your partner.
• Anxiety, stress or depression negatively impact the way you perceive and value yourself, leading to a loss of interest in sex.

Your healthcare provider can;

• Evaluate underlying causes like medications, hormone changes or emotional factors that might be contributing to your sexual issues.
• Give you dietary and lifestyle tips to manage menopause and improve sexual wellness.
• Prescribe hormone therapy to bring hormone levels back to normal.
• Recommend treatment for vaginal dryness and painful sex.
• Offer counselling to help you manage stress better.

Wrapping Up!

Menopause brings with it physical, mental and emotional challenges in every woman’s life, but it doesn’t mean the end of sexual satisfaction or the ability to experience orgasms. You can enjoy your sexual life well into your postmenopausal years through a proper understanding of how menopause affects you and taking the necessary steps to manage it.

It’s important you know that sexual health does not have to be compromised at any point in life, even after menopause. Don’t hesitate to get help if you’re having trouble with your sexual life or find it difficult to experience orgasms after menopause.

Ladies, menopause is just a new chapter – not the end of pleasure and intimacy! Keep the spark alive!