Unlocking Libido: Understanding the Factors that Affect Women's Sexuality and How to Boost It

The libido is a beautiful journey for many; it comes and goes over the years and even months of a woman's life. These fluctuations are part and parcel of life. Whether you are in your early 20s or late 60s, sex and libido are a vital part of life - despite that, their role tends to fluctuate and differ at various points in your life.

No magical guideline dictates how sexual you need to be or should be at any given stage of life. Many factors impact your own sexual stimulation, excitement, and sex drive. Whether you are into solo play or partner play, with or without toys, your sexual health is important - it is crucial to understand who you are and how to work with what you've got.

In this article, we dive into the depths of female sexuality, health, some health tips, and how to boost the libido.

Factors That Influence Women's Sexual Health

Women's sexual health can be complicated.

Yes, women are known as some of the most complicated creatures on earth. With a 28-day hormone cycle, female desire can fluctuate thanks to this cycle - unlike the male hormone cycle, which is 24 hours long. Thus, these fluctuations in women are a lot more evident as they can take days to shift.

The other aspect to consider when thinking about women's sexual health is that women are responsive!

Having primarily responsive desire, women need the right context to get into the mood. Most women need two things before their sexual desire can come online: (1) low stress and (2) erotic sensation (touch, visual, or auditory).

The factors that influence your sexual health can include the physical changes that women go through on a monthly scale - periods of vaginal dryness and lubrication and other symptoms on an emotional scale can all play a role in women's sexual health!

Understanding Orgasms

One of the keys to understanding women or even human sexuality is to understand the inner workings of an orgasm. An orgasm is essentially the earth-shattering pleasure that derives from sensual or sexual touch - it is crucial for several reasons.

As the end goal of most sexual encounters, the orgasm could be considered one of the most important parts of sexual health and intimacy. In fact, according to a study, only 50% of women experience an orgasm during sexual intercourse.

Yes, 50% of women have had an orgasm during sex - compared to 90% of men... if the roles were reversed and 50% of men experienced orgasms, the sexperts would be screaming about sexual dysfunction from the rooftops.

Finding Pleasure that Works for You

One of the keys to the libido is knowing how to satisfy it. Many people lack the desire to be touched because no one has unlocked their sweet spots - not even themselves and that is a crime! 

So, let's get into the different kinds of orgasms and what they would potentially feel like for women. No two orgasms are alike - the most crucial concept to understand is that they come on a spectrum.

• Clitoral - Most people use their fingers to explore the clitoris, but rose toys and other vibrators can also bring you to climax and glorious pleasure during solo play. When you climax, you'll feel a tingling sensation across your body and in your mind.

• Internal - Penetrative sex toys can enhance solo play. You'll feel your orgasm internally; you might feel your legs shake and your vaginal walls throb.

• Combination - Sometimes two is better than one. When it comes to figuring out your sexuality, it is essential to experiment, which can mean trying out two spots simultaneously. Try internal and clitoral stimulation at the same time for a powerful combination.

• Erogenous Zones - While you might not strictly get a complete orgasm from erogenous zones alone, you might find that they are a lot more powerful and intense. These zones are dotted across your body and are different for everyone - nipples, ears, lower back, inner thighs, and the sides of the neck are some of the most common areas. These sensitive areas can be stimulated with a vibe, the rose toy, or simply tickling, tugging, and pulling. The trick is to explore.

• Anal - This one is a little different - some women can orgasm from anal penetration while others can't. Usually, you'd have a designated anal sex toy as these are made for the purpose. Right before you hit the sweet spot, you may feel a full sensation and might need to pee.

• Oral Sex - Oral, head, deep diving, going down - whatever it is that you call it - this act can produce a very different kind of orgasm; depending on whether you are penetrated as well, you may experience an intense and earth-shattering orgasm. It's kind of like Bree Van De Kamp from Desperate Housewives - where the first orgasm she has is from oral sex and sends her running to the doctors asking what is wrong with her.

Sexual Activity: What is Normal

Try asking whether a piece of string is normal - the texture, length, color, and material of one person's string differs from another. For many women, the idea of normal sexual function and arousal can vary.

Sexual activity can vary depending on your needs - whether you are a solo player or prefer partnered play intercourse or plain ole masturbation. It can differ depending on your age, mindset, and, most importantly, your needs.

Studies show that most people between 18 and 29 engage in hanky panky around 84 times a year. This number can fluctuate depending on how sexually liberal you are or how high your libido is. The trick to understanding what normal is - is to think about your views on sexual intimacy - what you need, and what your ideal sex life is.

Try not to compare your normal to other women or anyone else's, as it can lead to disordered thinking and, ultimately, it is not good for your overall well-being or health.

Read more on American Sexual Behavioral Studies here.

What Can Effect Sex Drive in Women?

Birth control, hormonal changes, pregnancy, medical treatment, sexual needs, self-esteem, STRESS, and a million other factors can impact your sex drive as a woman.

Women's health is a complicated matter that can be fraught with sexual problems at times, while at other times, it is smooth sailing. There are, however, external factors that can impact your libido as a woman:

• Gender identity - Learning to explore your gender identity can be empowering for some - this can affect the libido positively for some. 

• Sexually transmitted diseases - STDs or STIs have a lot of stigma attached to them - they can, therefore, lead to a drastic decrease in libido, especially during treatment, as a result of medication side effects. 

• Previous sexual activities - for some women, periods of increased sexual activity can lead to a bit of downtime or a dry spell. 

• Weight gain - one of the most sensitive topics - weight has a vital role in a woman's libido - gaining weight can impact mental health and self-confidence, tanking the libido. 

• Pain - chronic and acute pain can lower and dampen the libido, whether it is from an injury or a health condition. Pain has a unique way of throwing a spanner in the best of sex drives! 

• Menopause - As the second phase of a woman's life - menopause is part and parcel of being a woman - the lowered hormone levels can induce tightness and dryness in the vagina, which can hurt during intercourse. Also, it leads to a decreased libido! 

• Medication - Medications for various illnesses, including cancer, mood stabilizers, antidepressants, and pain killers, can all lower the libido - conversely, some women are prescribed antidepressants for sexual dysfunction and low libido! 

• Mental health - Psychological causes such as depression, anxiety, and feelings of no intimacy can all impact your sexual desire. They can leave a woman feeling despondent about sexual intercourse, never mind sexual intimacy.

The Role of Mental Health in Sex

It's in your head - quite literally - the female libido often lives in the mind. Whether you experience hypersexuality to cope with stress or the opposite, where the rivers run dry at the slightest hint or talk of sexual intercourse - sexuality is heavily impacted by mental health.

It is vital to consider this and be kind to yourself as you go through any of these mental health bouts. Talking to a therapist or managing it in other ways, such as counseling, art therapy, or even talking to an expert sexual health professional, can help you get the most out of your mental health while dealing with the root cause of the problem. Learning to deal with your mental health is more important than anything else, as you will have your mind for life!

Physical and Emotional Changes

As humans mature, so do their relationship and sex life - for some, these changes bring a boost to the libido - have you ever seen a hormonal pregnant woman who wants to devour her partner at any chance? It happens - while the opposite is also possible. 

Changes to lifestyle and diet can also significantly impact your libido. 

Studies suggest that increased exercise can have a positive impact on your libido.

In general, people who regularly exercise report feeling less stressed, having better mental health, having more confidence, and making better lifestyle decisions. 

Regular movement and exercise are typically associated with a higher interest in sex—a relationship that research has consistently shown to be true according to studies. 

Movement has been shown to impact your emotions and, therefore, lead to a more fulfilling sex life! 

What About Rose Toys?

At Pika, we believe that the secret to unlocking anyone's sexual prowess is a little lesson in communication. 

Not the long-winded talks you have with your therapist or your besties. Instead, this communication is more internal. The key to unlocking your prowess lies in the art of communicating with yourself and learning to know what you do and don't like. For some of us, this revelation only comes once we hit our late 20s or mid-40s for some women.

That is where rose toys come in - one of the best ways to learn to communicate with yourself. Learning to explore your needs, the sweet spots, and the not-so-sweet spots. You can learn a lot about your sexuality by exploring external clitoral stimulation and internal stimulation (not with the original rose toy - however, we do recommend the Blossom Pro Suction Rose Toy with Bullet Vibrator for just that purpose!)

Learn to feel satisfied no matter whether you have a high or low libido! Shop our collection of companions here!