How to have satisfying sex during menopause

Menopause brings about a lot of changes, both to your lifestyle and your body. Some of these can make your sex life even hotter: You know what you want in life and you may no longer have to worry about birth control after your period has stopped completely for 12 consecutive months. But some of the physical changes may pose more of a challenge. For example, vaginal dryness and reduced elasticity can make sex painful and hot flashes and night sweats may not exactly put you in the mood.

These changes are common. In fact, between one-third and one-half of perimenopausal and postmenopausal people have some type of sexual concern, according to the North American Menopause Society.

But plenty of people in menopause find ways to deal with these issues and even make their sex lives better as they age. A national poll conducted by the University of Michigan in 2018 found that 69 percent of female respondents (all of whom were over age 65) said sex was an important part of a romantic relationship and 43 percent said they were extremely or very satisfied with their sex lives.

There are many ways to treat the symptoms of menopause, which begins on average at age 51. Hormonal and nonhormonal therapies, a healthy lifestyle, and some simple, sex-specific tweaks can help keep the fire alive.