How to Increase Sex Drive: Women

There are natural ways to increase sex drive women, and for men, too. And some of them are downright delicious.

Let There Be Light

I’m writing this on the Winter Solstice, Dec. 21st, the darkest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. So, let’s focus first on the impact of light.

Absorbing light is something we take for granted in the summer months. But for those of us who live in snowy places, sunlight is a sparse commodity in the dark, gloomy, frigid, winter months.

It has been proven that sunlight is one of the best ways to encourage our libido, in both women and men. It’s thought that this happens because light increases our alertness and energy production and by stimulating Vitamin D synthesis.

That in turn helps increase the production of testosterone, which is the driving force in sex drive for both men and women. Researchers have found a direct link between levels of Vitamin D and testosterone.

The problem of course, is that during the winter the sun is a rare sight. And some 90% of our Vitamin D comes from sunlight contacting our skin. Where I live, it gets dark around 5 pm and doesn’t get light again until around 8 am. Plus it’s freakin’ cold out there! That alone is enough to bring on the winter blues.

So what can you do about it? Lightbox therapy has been around for some time now and has proven benefits for seasonal affective disorder. There are numerous products readily available, with some quality options in the $50 range.

These devices recreate natural light and it is advised you use them for 20 – 60 minutes in the morning.  That may seem like a hassle, but if you can fit the therapy into your lifestyle, it has proven positive effects.

Huffington Post has a nice article on the things to look for when shopping for a lightbox.

Light Helps Men Too

In fact in a recent, small study in Italy on men, it was found that light therapy had a positive impact on increasing testosterone, according to the L.A. Times.  Testosterone is the key ingredient in our sex drive. In this study, the men showed dramatic improvements in only 2 weeks of daily light therapy for 30 minutes each morning.

Again, sunlight provides our bodies with Vitamin D and there is a link between those levels and testosterone.

Exercise Releases Feel-Good Hormones

Regular exercise not only makes you feel sexier and more positive about yourself, it releases endorphins into your bloodstream for a powerful, natural high.

It is believed that endorphins stimulate the release of sex hormones. Those hormones reduce your heart rate, improve digestion, lower blood pressure and cortisol levels and just relax the body.

Endorphins are also released by other positive activities, like orgasm and laughter.

Surprise! Dark Chocolate is Good For You

Dark chocolate — that is at least 70% cocoa —  has several proven healthy benefits. It can improve your mood since it stimulates the production of endorphins. It also contains serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant.

Dark chocolate also contains flavonoids. These act as antioxidants and protect your cells from harmful free radicals, that can cause cell damage that leads to heart disease. Flavonoids can also help lower blood pressure and reduce bad cholesterol.

In addition, studies have shown that dark chocolate (70% or higher cocoa) increases production of phenylalanine, which in turn increases the level of dopamine in the brain. That helps block certain types of pain, like seasonal depression, from the nerve endings.

Plus, it tastes great. Always in moderation, of course. But how often does science tell us to eat something great like dark chocolate?

But Wait, There’s More Good News

Good news from some more of those sex-mad Italians: Red Wine in moderation is a big libido booster for both women and men.

In women, red wine causes stronger sexual urges than any other form of alcohol, say the Italians. They found that the compounds in red wine increased blood flow to a woman’s erogenous areas, which increased levels of desire.

Red Wine is Good for Guys Too!

With men, they found that red wine has a compound that blocks the excretion of testosterone. As always, the more testosterone present, the stronger the sex drive.

Again, the benefits for both men and women are lost beyond a couple of glasses as the negative effects of alcohol settle in.

Seeking out the light

If you’d like to consider a lightbox, check out this link to NatureBright SunTouch on Amazon. Amazon carries  a wide variety. This one has the highly recommended 10,000 Lux light rating but only costs around $50. There are more than 2,500 reviews on this model, with an average 4.5 star rating out of 5. 

In the Meantime…

Try to get more light in your life and exercise on a regular basis. In the evenings, enjoy a nice piece of dark chocolate and a couple of glasses of red (remember Moderation)… and you’ll be taking positive steps to beat the winter blues. Good sleep helps a lot, too.

Please share you thoughts below in Comments. Or drop me a line: Brian@BoomerMuscle.com