The reason your libido increases when you have your period, and why sex is more enjoyable at that time of the month
- Experts say hormones and increased sensitivity may be responsible
- Sex drive is highest during ovulation, but can remain high during menstruation
- READ MORE: What to Eat During Each Phase of Your Menstrual Cycle
It’s no secret that your emotions change during your period, making you more irritable or sensitive.
But there’s another effect you might notice at that time of the month that’s talked about in hushed tones: you feel like having sex more often.
From an evolutionary perspective, it doesn’t make much sense because your fertility isn’t at its peak yet.
Yet many women report increased libido and pleasure during their periods.
Avril Louise Clarke, a clinical sexologist, said it is a combination between an increase in vaginal sensitivity and lubrication, while others said the psychological effect of believing you cannot get pregnant while menstruating can increase sex drive.
The psychological effect of knowing that you are less likely to get pregnant if you have intercourse during menstruation may also play a role
During a menstrual cycle of approximately 28 days, women go through four phases, including the menstrual, follicular, ovulatory, and luteal phases. During each, hormones rise and fall, affecting sex drive and desire.
Mrs. Clarke told Refinery 29 increasing arousal during the menstrual phase (when a woman has her period) could be due to increased blood flow to the pelvic area as the body sheds its uterine lining, resulting in increased sensitivity and more vaginal lubrication, leading to more pleasure sex.
The psychological effect of knowing that you are less likely to get pregnant if you have intercourse while menstruating could also play a role, Dr. Nicole Bullock, a Texas-based gynecologist, told R29.
Although it is much less likely that you will get pregnant during your period, it is a common myth that you cannot get pregnant.
Additionally, women may also experience a small increase in testosterone, Dr. Bullock added.
Considered the male hormone that increases the sex drive of men, women also have this hormone, albeit in lower doses.
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When it increases while a woman is menstruating, it can make women desire more sex.
Rising testosterone is part of natural hormone fluctuations and is thought to play a role in fertility and the desire to have more sex to become pregnant.
Although some women report increased desire during their period, most will feel an increase during ovulation – 14 days before the start of menstruation – when estrogen is at its highest.
Higher levels of estrogen are associated with an increase in sexual desire and vaginal lubrication.
Ovulation is when the body releases an egg into the fallopian tube, where it awaits fertilization by sperm.
Dr. Bullock said a higher sex drive during this phase “makes sense from a reproductive standpoint.”
There are many reasons why a woman’s libido fluctuates during her cycle, but for those who do enjoy sex during their period, there are plenty of benefits, according to Heathline.
Orgasms can relieve cramps and sex can improve mood, combating the irritability that can come with menstruation.
Having your period can also provide more lubrication, making sex more enjoyable.
Sex can also affect the duration of menstruation. During an orgasm, the muscles of the uterus contract, allowing the uterine contents to be discharged more quickly and shortening the menstrual period.