Do you feel suddenly sad or mad for no reason? Do you often find yourself not in the mood for sex one day, then find yourself wanting it the next day? Yes, it’s a weird girl thing, and before you go crazy trying to figure it out, other women are experiencing it, too due to the menstrual cycle.
Before delving on the effects of the menstrual cycle to your libido, we must first discuss about what happens during the cycle to gain a better understanding of how and why everything happens.
What Goes On in Your Monthly Cycle
Every month, your ovary releases a mature egg to be fertilized by a sperm in the fallopian tube so you can get pregnant. At this time, the estrogen level is at its peak as it thickens the lining of the uterus, the endometrium. If fertilization does occur, the fertilized egg implants itself into the uterus lining for nourishment.
If the egg remains unfertilized, it breaks down. Estrogen and progesterone will drop causing the endometrium to return to normal by shedding blood for at least three days on average.
The hormone is the governing force of your menstrual cycle. After menstruation, your pituitary gland releases follicle-stimulating hormone or FSH,which triggers the development of eggs in follicles of the ovaries. During this time, your ovaries produce estrogen to repair the lining from the previous menstruation.
The pituitary gland releases another hormone called the luteinizing hormone to trigger the release of a matured egg or ovulation.
After ovulation, the emptied follicle produces progesterone. Estrogen and progesterone are relatively high to prepare the uterus for pregnancy. Hormones regulate a woman’s reproductive function and her sexual function as well. Throughout the cycle, hormones rise and fall that may affect sex drive. Not to mention PMS and blood flowing to the genitals.
Here are four simple ways your monthly cycle complicates your sex life:
1. Your partner has to keep his hands off during menstruation
The first day of your menstrual cycle is the first day of your menstruation, which could last for three to five days, so we’ll take this as the first week of the cycle. Some people are just not comfortable having sex with blood gushing out.
Though some people admit, they don’t mind one bit and still enjoy sex as they do on normal days. If you’re feeling it, hit the shower with your partner. You may get confident doing it unprotected, but you should know women can still get pregnant at this time.
2. The Heat Is At Its Peak At Mid-Cycle
We are now in week two with the last days as the middle of the cycle or the ovulation days. According to many research studies, sex drive peaks at ovulation,which makes sense since this is the time when you are most fertile.
Researchers from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville surveyed 115 women from 23 to 45 years of age. Each participant has to answer questions about her sexual activities twice, before and during ovulation. The results showed that women are hornier and experienced greater satisfaction during ovulation,which occurs mid-cycle.
Another research from the Arizona state University asked 256 women to keep track of their masturbation habit throughout the cycle by writing them in a diary. The results showed these women masturbated more during ovulation.
Moreover, Dutch researchers attached a blood flow detector to 20 women watching erotic videos. Arousal characterized by increased blood flow to the genitals peaked at ovulation. The women confessed they felt easily aroused at mid-cycle.
Perhaps, this is the best time to light up those scented candles and bring out the massage oils. However, if your libido is down in the dumps with or without ovulation, find ways to rev it up. Men can easily amplify their sexual performance with Viagra or Cialis, you can too with a product for women like HerSolution. It’s a female sexual enhancer made from potent, natural ingredients.
3. Energy And Hormones Go Hand In Hand
We are now in week three. After ovulation, estrogen and testosterone drop while progesterone continues to increase overwhelming the other two hormones. The best words that describe you at this time are quiet, lazy, sleepy and a bit emotional. You would rather doze off or lie around doing nothing than be touchy feely with your partner.
4. The Premenstrual Syndrome Turns You Into Ms. Untouchable
The fourth week is the premenstrual period. Hormones continue to drop. Premenstrual syndrome starts though symptoms may vary from woman to woman. Hormones are thought to cause the PMS symptoms, but according to some experts, the cause remains unclear though lifestyle may be a part of it.
At this time, you become uncontrollably emotional and gets mad easily. You may also experience stomach cramps, headache, and confusion. It’s best if your partner stays out of sight if you’re the type who throws things.
The menstrual cycle may play a role in a woman’s sex life. However, you should also carefully look deeper because there are other factors that might influence your sexual functions, too.
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Photo by ParentingPatch / CC BY-SA Birth Control Pills: Taking hormonal contraceptives may alter your normal menstrual cycle. Surprisingly, some studies show that womenw ho aretaking pills hardly suffer from libido changes while those who did not take the pills suffered from low libido.
- Stress: Being a career woman, a mom, and a wife is a hard act to balance and could leave you exhausted and burned out. If you aren’t able to deal with the daily stressors of life effectively, your sex life could suffer.
- Current Relationship State: Conflicts and marital issues can make you less affectionate and attracted to your partner. Therefore, it will be difficult to be sexually intimate with him.
- Medical Conditions: Certain illnesses, either physical or psychological, such as heart problems, high blood pressure, thyroid problems, intense anxiety, and depression can affect your normal sexual functions.
Medications for such health problems can dampen sexual desire, too.
The menstrual cycle may serve as a guide for you in scheduling bedroom activities, but it should not carve out your destiny. It’s totally up to you to keep the fire burning.