Is Yoga Good for Low Libido During Perimenopause?
Wondering if yoga can help with low libido during perimenopause? Learn how yoga supports hormonal balance, reduces stress, and may help rekindle your sex drive.
Low Libido in Perimenopause Is More Common Than You Think
A drop in sex drive during perimenopause is one of the most frequently reported but least discussed symptoms. Falling oestrogen and testosterone levels, disrupted sleep, low mood, and vaginal dryness can all chip away at desire. Many women feel frustrated or disconnected from their bodies at this stage. The good news is that movement, and yoga in particular, can play a meaningful role in turning that around.
How Yoga May Help with Low Libido
Yoga works on several of the root causes of low libido at once. It lowers cortisol, the stress hormone that suppresses sex hormones when chronically elevated. It improves body awareness and helps you feel more at home in your body, which is important when physical changes feel unfamiliar or unwelcome. Hip-opening poses specifically increase circulation to the pelvic region, which can improve sensation and comfort. Some research also suggests yoga supports healthy testosterone levels, the hormone most directly linked to sexual desire in women.
The Mind-Body Connection Matters Here
Libido is not purely physical. Anxiety, low self-esteem, and feeling disconnected from your body are all common in perimenopause, and all of them suppress desire. Yoga's emphasis on breath, presence, and body connection addresses this directly. Practices like restorative yoga and yoga nidra (yogic sleep) calm the nervous system and move you out of fight-or-flight mode, which is necessary for sexual arousal to occur.
Poses Worth Including
You do not need a specific libido-boosting yoga class. Most styles will help. That said, poses that open the hips and pelvis, like butterfly pose (baddha konasana), pigeon pose, low lunge, and bridge pose, are particularly relevant. They improve blood flow to the area and release tension held in the hips. Spending a few minutes in these poses after a regular practice can make a real difference over time.
Practical Tips for Getting Started
Aim for three sessions per week, mixing more active flows with slower restorative practices. Consistency matters more than intensity here. Try to keep the bedroom and your yoga mat as separate spaces at first, doing your practice at a time when you can be relaxed rather than rushed. If you track your symptoms in an app, log how you feel after yoga sessions to see whether patterns emerge over weeks.
When to Seek More Support
Yoga can support libido, but it is not a replacement for addressing the underlying hormonal shifts of perimenopause. If low libido is significantly affecting your relationship or wellbeing, talking to a GP or gynaecologist about HRT or testosterone therapy is worth considering. Yoga works well alongside medical support, not instead of it.
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