Loss of libido, or sex drive, is troubling for a lot of men, but it’s not the same thing as the inability to achieve an erection. With libido, it’s all about the desire or drive for sex; not whether you can perform. However, low libido can also affect performance, which can create a vicious cycle.
Causes for low libido can’t be narrowed down to one or two. There are several potential candidates, and more than one of them may be to blame. In fact, some are so interconnected, it’s rare to see one without the other.
Here are 6 common potential causes of low sex drive, and how you can effect a change for the better:
Cause #1: Stress
Stress can affect almost everything in your life. It can cause headache and irritability, but it can also lead to chest pain, muscle aches, and low libido.
Most people have at least some stress. It’s difficult to live in the modern world without it. Work and family responsibilities seem to grow larger every day, and Americans are less inclined to take the necessary time to deal with it.
The Mayo Clinic suggests stress management to help alleviate the symptoms and start getting back to your old self. Recommendations include exercise, relaxation, meditation, yoga, and plenty of sleep.
Exercise lets you expel pent up energy. Think about how good it feels to take a long walk; your heart is pumping, your head gets clearer, and, if you planned ahead and left your phone at home, there are no interruptions in this quiet time to yourself.
Relaxation is tough for someone who is stressed out. Stress, itself, can block your ability to relax at all. But there are techniques, such as meditation and yoga, which can help settle your mind.
Sleep, like general relaxation, is also difficult when under stress. Try to keep a regular sleep schedule, and limit stimulating drinks too near bedtime. It takes a while, but you may regain your ability to fall asleep, and stay asleep all night.
Cause #2: Relationship Problems
The issue might not be solely with you. If there are relationship problems with your partner, it’s easy to see how those could manifest as low desire.
When there are problems in the relationship, libido stands little chance of improving on its own. Psychology Today recommends focusing on the issue and the relationship. In other words, bring your partner into the discussion.
A possible solution might be couple’s therapy, which will focus on both of you. If you don’t have the desire, chances are it’s taking a toll on your partner, too.
Psychology Today also recommends taking active steps. Making yourself go through the motions of flirting and playing. This doesn’t mean trying to force yourself to have sex; it’s more about actively trying to leave yourself open to it.
Cause #3: Low Testosterone
Testosterone is critical for male sex drive. Web MD explains that it’s not the only factor in libido, but low testosterone, also called low T, can throw a monkey wrench into the whole operation.
As men age, testosterone naturally declines. This isn’t the same as a woman’s estrogen levels plummeting at menopause. With men, it’s more of a slow and steady decline that occurs from the early 20s through life.
It’s important to know that low T alone is usually not the cause of erection health issues, although it might play a role.
To diagnose low T, you’ll need to see your doctor. The good news is that low testosterone can often be treated with testosterone therapy. There may be risks associated hormone therapy, so ask your doctor for specifics and to help decide whether it’s right for you.
Cause #4: Antidepressants
Low libido can lead to depression in some men. Ironically, some antidepressants can cause low libido.
In a 2010 “Health Alert,” Johns Hopkins explained that between 30 percent and 70 percent of people on antidepressants have sexual problems within the first several months. Diminished sex drive is a common side effect, as is difficult or inability to achieve orgasm.
Stopping a prescription medication, especially an antidepressant, is not advisable without your doctor’s supervision. However, there are things you can talk about with your doctor to see if they might offer relief.
One option might be changing your medication to a different one. You might also find relief from changing which time of day you take it, or your doctor might issue a lower dose.
Erection health medications such as Levitra, Cialis, and Staxyn might also help, if low libido and erection difficulties both exist as a result of the antidepressant.
Cause #5: Low Estrogen
Surprise, low testosterone isn’t the only potential culprit behind low sex drive. Men also have estrogen, which is usually considered a female hormone. With age, estrogen may decline, and can cause a dip in libido.
In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, Sept. 12 2013, titled, “Gonadal Steroids and Body Composition, Strength, and Sexual Function in Men,” Dr. Joel S. Finkelstein, among many others, determined that while low testosterone is responsible for a decline in sexual function, low estrogen is, too.
Low estrogen is a newly found potential cause for low sex drive. To be diagnosed, you will need to see your doctor, who may be able to help.
Web MD doesn’t sugar coat it when they say, “Lack of Sleep Kills Sex Drive.” That’s pretty unmistakable.
The usual symptoms of sleep deprivation, such as tiredness, restlessness, and tension can lead to a loss of sex drive, which makes sense. When you’re tired, especially with chronic exhaustion, it’s difficult to get excited about anything. Unfortunately, even the promise of sex is often not enough to counter the effects of sleep deprivation.
Sleep apnea is a condition where breathing is disrupted numerous times throughout the night. It may manifest as several short and shallow breaths between normal ones, or as pauses in breathing with snorts startling the sleeper in and out of deep sleep.
Sleep deprivation may be alleviated with exercise and better sleep habits. For sleep apnea, your doctor might need to get involved.
A lower sex drive is to be expected, at least to some degree, with age. But when low sex drive is a concern, there is probably a reason behind it, especially in younger men. Narrowing down the cause might not be easy, and it might also be a matter of connecting a few dots. Any of these potential causes can easily be linked to another.
Although low sex drive and erection problems are not the same thing, they can also be related. To improve erection health, consider one of the PDE5 inhibitors that are proven to work for many men of different ages, and with different underlying causes.
eDrugstore.com sells Levitra, Cialis, Staxyn, Viagra, and other erection health medications, all of which are scientifically proven to work. There’s even a sample pack of three to try, if you’re not sure which one is right for you. We offer the privacy and convenience of online ordering, and your discreetly-packed shipment arrives right at your door. If you’re ready to try something that works, see what eDrugstore.com has to offer.
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