Low Libido in Women: Come to Your SENSES!
Libido is a barometer of how a relationship is going. It’s not the most important thing in a relationship for most women, but it is certainly a very good marker of how well a relationship is functioning and an indicator of one’s general health.
Like the eye is the window to the soul and health, libido is good window the health of a relationship. As promised in the post Highlights of A4M’s 22nd World Congress we are going to discuss low libido in women using Dr. Jennifer Landa’s HARSH System.
Pro-Libido Lifestyle
First, it’s essential that women follow or adopt a pro-libido lifestyle. To describe what that is Dr.Landa uses another acronym called SENSES.
- S is for stress management
- E is for enough sleep
- N is for nutrition
- S is for senses
- E is for exercise
- S is for self-image
Today we will focus only on the pro-libido lifestyle using the SENSES acronym. In a follow up article we will discuss the actual HARSH System.Before we go any further you can apply the SENSES acronym to any chronic medical problem and will likely see an improvement. So the pro-libido lifestyle is really a healthy living lifestyle – it’s not beneficial for low libido only.
Stress Management
Stress is a real killer both figuratively and literally. It’s also a libido killer. You cannot avoid it entirely, so you need to learn to effectively manage it. Managing stress is a lengthy discussion. Here’s one of our earlier posts on stress.
Enough Sleep
Getting an ample amount of quality sleep is critical (usually 7 to 9 hours). Dr. Landa recommends going to bed and awakening at the same time each day. Darken the room as light interferes with production of melatonin, the sleep hormone. Avoid stimulants that include TV and computers, and dimming lights two hours before bedtime.
Avoid alcohol and perhaps eating a healthy snack. She also recommends trying the following herbs and supplements: Valerian, Chamomile, Passionflower, Rhodiola, tryptophan (gets converted into melatonin), GABA, and L-theanine if you have a racing mind.
Here are some additional sleeping tips that we have discussed before.
Nutrition
Nutrition is the foundation of health. To improve libido your meal makeup should consist of 4 ounces of protein (about the size of the palm of the hand or deck of cards), a small amount of complex carbohydrates and healthy fats, and vegetable focusing on cruciferous vegetables. You also need to cut out sources of added sugar (nothing new there). Drink plenty of water, minimize use of alcohol and caffeine, and avoid sodas. Avoid trans fats. Avoid frying.
Doing all of this should increase libido, improve energy and muscle tone, and reducing body fat.
Senses
Tap into all your senses to create a more romantic environment and stimulate your libido: music, candlelight, pleasant smells or fragrances, soft touching, etc. Also, be in the present or what Dr. Landa refers to as mindfulness. Control your thoughts. Put other priorities on hold. Making a “date night” can help in this regard. She also encourages women to think more about sex.
Exercise
Move around as much as possible. Avoid sitting. Physical activity improves blood flow and boosts our feel good hormones (serotonin and dopamine). It also improves self-image and self-confidence. Exercise should include aerobics, resistance training, and high intensity or burst training.
Self-Image
Here’s something that may be surprising. Women tend to be more critical of their bodies than their partners are. Think like a sex-goddess. Our thoughts influence our actions. If you want to exude an air of confidence walk with an air of confidence. Confidence is sexy. Learn to manage causes of low self-esteem.
Evaluate your self talk and rewire your internal dialogue if necessary. Exercise and nutrition will help tone muscles and lose body fat improving physical appearance. Adopt a more positive attitude. Do a bit of a make over and be sure to highlight or draw attention to your best features. Don’t be afraid to flirt. And, candlelight makes everything look better.
Have low libido. Come to your SENSES! Adopt the pro-libido lifestyle. It will improve your general health, too. Next we’ll discuss how the pro-libido lifestyle fits into the HARSH system for addressing low libido in women.
