Sex Drive - Reasons it Could Be Diminished

While there is much more to a healthy relationship than just sex, you should not diminish the effect a slumping sex drive can have on your overall relationship. A healthy sex life can improve your physical health, mental health and can even help you be more productive. These are not, however, the reasons we concentrate on for wanted a healthy and active sex life. Everyone will experiences changes in their desire for sex from time to time, but a prolonged decline or absence of desire may be a sign of a more serious problem.

A lower sex drive can be the result of an individual medical condition or mental condition. It can also be the result of unresolved issues between the two partners. A minor dispute or argument will generally blow over, but if there are major issues, arguments or differences of opinion which go unresolved for longer periods of time this can result in a lowering of sexual desire for one another. The old adage of 'never go to bed angry' holds true. Holding on to anger or hurt does not allow the injury to heal and the result can be more damaging than the initial issue itself.

The physical and mental effects of stress can be extremely serious. Stress is extremely hard on your body physically and can result in serious medical and physiological problems. One of these problems can be the lowering of a person's sex drive. The frustration of a lower sex drive and the pressure to perform for your partner can increase stress, causing the problem to actually feed on itself. A major problem with stress is that its cause can sometimes be very difficult to determine, thus making it difficult to eliminate.

Not getting enough sleep can also result in a lower sex drive. If you are working long hours, have insomnia, or are just not sleeping well, the result is fatigue. A side effect of fatigue is a lowering of desire for sex.

Alcohol and certain medications can result in lower libido. While alcohol can lower your inhibitions, it can also cause drowsiness and a lower sex drive. If you have just started a new medication and your sex drive decreases, check with your doctor. It may be possible to change your medication and eliminate the side effect.

Another major reason for a decrease in sex drive is self image. If you feel fat, ugly, or generally unattractive this can directly transcend into a lower sex drive. If you do not find yourself desirable, it can be hard to understand why anyone else would find you attractive. Your attitude toward yourself can have a major impact on how you respond to others, including your sexual partner.

There are several other issues which can effect sex drive. Erectile Dysfunction (ED) can be a major problem as can a lower testosterone level. Men's testosterone level begins to drop off around the age of fifty and with it the desire for intimacy can also decline. When women reach menopause they can experience a decline in sexual desire as well. Obesity has also been found to have a direct impact on a person's sex drive, or lack thereof.

It is often difficult to determine the exact reason for a lowering of sexual desire. The problem could be anything listed above, or a combination of two or more of these elements. If a person is working two jobs trying to keep from losing their home the stress and fatigue could be severe. Mix in low self esteem and menopause and finding the cause will be extremely difficult. Resolving these issues will not be easy, and there are no quick fixes. If you experience a lower sex drive for a long period of time you should consult with your physician. There are things which can be done, things which you cannot and should not do alone.