How To Get Your Libido Back Amidst the Pandemic

Has the stress and uncertainty of the pandemic wreaked havoc on your libido? If so, you aren’t alone. Studies have shown that many individuals experienced negative effects on their sex drive due to the pandemic.

If you are struggling to get your libido back, here are 7 tips for boosting your sex drive and reclaiming your sex life despite the pandemic.

Why Did the Pandemic Affect Our Sex Lives?

Here’s one of the most important things to understand:

Losing interest in sex during a worldwide crisis is normal and nothing to be ashamed of.

You can thank high levels of stress and anxiety for your lack of libido.

And the stress experienced during the pandemic isn’t typical. Rather, it is a type of stress that forces us into “survival mode”.

Covid-19 brought about financial stress, survival stress, anxiety, uncertainty, lockdowns, and so many other negative effects. All of these stressors can put the body into a state of “fight or flight” mode where the only thing that matters is survival rather than procreating.

Here are some other common reasons your sex drive may have dropped during the pandemic:

• Increased time with your partner (for some couples this was a good thing, but for others, it meant getting on each other’s nerves and losing the excitement in the relationship)
• Unhealthy changes to eating habits
• Lack of exercise (many fitness studios and gyms closed, forcing individuals to change their exercise routines or give up their exercise routines entirely
• Changes in sleeping habits
• Increased smoking or drinking
• Worries over access to reproductive care
• Difficulty meeting new partners if you are single and trying to navigate the world of dating (dating was tricky enough before the pandemic, but add in social distancing and lockdowns, and meeting someone just got even more difficult)
• Feelings of isolation during lockdown

7 Tips for Getting Your Sex Drive Back Amidst the Pandemic

The good news? Even if Covid-19 wreaked havoc on your sex drive, there are several ways you can help boost your libido and reclaim your sex life.

Here are 7 key steps for renewing your sex drive despite the pandemic.

1. Make Your Mental Health a Priority

We’ve already learned that high levels of stress can have a significant negative effect on libido. It also has negative effects on mental health, making it important to take steps to reduce your stress and anxiety levels.

Try to pinpoint the key areas of stress in your life and work to create a plan to minimise these factors. Gratitude journaling, meditation, yoga, and breathwork can also be beneficial for reducing stress levels.

2. Consider Making Healthy Lifestyle Changes

Certain lifestyle choices can lower your sex drive, making it important to focus on healthy habits during the pandemic.

To help boost your sex drive, try:

• Reducing your alcohol consumption, smoking, or drug use
• Focusing on eating a nutrient-dense diet packed with whole foods such as fresh fruits and veggies
• Drinking enough water
• Enjoying some fresh air and sunshine every day
• Limiting the amount of time you spend in front of screens

3. Prioritise Consistent Exercise

Exercise is an amazing way to reduce stress, lift your mood, and boost your libido. It can also help boost your confidence and increase how in-tune you feel with your body, which may also lead to an increased sex drive.

4. Reduce Your Stress Levels

Considering stress is probably the culprit responsible for your reduced sex drive, do whatever you can to lower your stress levels. Along with crushing your sex drive, stress can lead to a variety of other damaging effects on your health.

To reduce stress, try:

• Getting out for a hike or spending time in nature
• Reading your favourite book
• Taking a walk with a friend
• Learning deep breathing techniques or meditation
• Turn off the news
• Practice yoga or stretching
• Take a hot bath with essential oils or Epsom salts
• As mentioned earlier, regular physical activity is an effective way to reduce stress levels

5. Improve Your Communication With Your Partner

If you have a partner, work on learning to effectively, openly, and honestly communicate with your partner about how you are feeling. If you are experiencing concerns over your sex drive, share these feelings with your partner and be sure to ask how they are feeling as well.

Ask your partner for help increasing your sex drive. Not sure how? Here are a few ideas to try with your partner:

• Watch porn or read an erotic novel together
• Try something new in the bedroom together such as a new position or a new toy
• Have sex in a new place
• Enact a fantasy or try role-playing together
• If you can, go about normal household activities naked together from time to time

Be open and honest with your partner and work to support each other. All these things can make a huge difference but the key is approaching it together and being honest with one another.

6. Try Masturbating and Having Sex More Often

The more sex you have, the more sex you’ll want. And yes, self-pleasure counts.

Even if masturbation doesn’t cause a huge jump in your libido, pleasuring yourself or experiencing an orgasm is one of the best stress-busters out there!

7. Take Steps to Reconnect With Your Partner

If you and your partner experienced tension during the pandemic or negative effects on your sex life, the good news is that you can work together to be even stronger than before.

Work on increasing intimacy between each other. This will naturally help support the return of satisfying sex life.

Here are some tips for reconnecting with your partner during the pandemic:

• Ask your partner about their day and check in with them often (Example: “Even though we’ve been together all day, I just wanted to ask how you are doing?”
• Ask your partner how the pandemic has affected their sex drive
• Read a book together or watch your favourite show or movie together
• Plan date nights regularly (even if you have to have them at home!)
• Be affectionate with your partner by sharing regular physical contact through hugs, kissing, cuddling, massages, holding hands, head rubs, dancing, showering or taking a bath together)

Final Thoughts

The lockdowns, physical distancing recommendations, and immense stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic led to many individuals experiencing a sharp reduction in their sex drive.

Remember, your libido can and will return. If having a lower sex drive isn’t bothering you – no worries. Keep getting through life however you need to right now.

However, if you want to bring back your higher libido, I hope you found these tips helpful. Be kind to yourself and show yourself unlimited grace right now. You may even want to try seeing this as an opportunity to learn more about your sex drive and what gets you in the mood and gets you off.

If you are looking for more support during these tough times or simply need a safe space to ask questions about sex and relationships, I invite you to join my private Facebook group. I created this women’s-only group as a sacred space of support, openness, and acceptance and hope to see you there.

Wishing you relaxed vibes and much pleasure!