Male and Female Libido?

Common Causes of having a Low Libido

Relationship Issues

Having a low sex drive can be due to multiple reasons:

feeling your partner is less sexually attractive, e.g. by becoming over familiar with them
communication issues and frequent arguments
lack of trust between partners

Sexual problems

Sexual problems (ranging from erectile dysfunction and ejaculation problems to vaginal dryness and inability to orgasm)

Depression

Constant feelings of sadness or hopelessness. A complete lack of interest or desire in any activity you previously enjoyed taking part in.

Anxiety, Stress and Exhaustion

If you always feel tired, or stressed out, it can have a major impact on your overall happiness (this includes your sex life). Having a chat with your doctor may be advisable.

Getting Older

Many people experience a lack of sex drive as they age. This can be due to lowe levels of sex hormones in men (testosterone) and women (oestrogen and testosterone) or specific age related conditions.

Other Health Issues

Longer term conditions may have an impact on your libido too. For instance, heart disease, diabetes or cancer.

Drugs and Alcohol

Drinking excess alcohol over an extended period or the misuse of drugs can affect your sex drive too.

Sex Drive and the Brain

Low libido is usually indicated by having a decreased desire in sex, as there's no real scientific measurement for a lack of libido.

The libido resides in 2 parts of your brain, the cerebral cortex; the outer layer of the brain responsible for higher level planning and thinking (which also includes sex) and the limbic system; the hypothalamus, hippocampus, and other parts of the brain, which are involved with emotion, motivation, and sex drive. The cerebral cortex and limbic system are so crucial, that a man or woman can orgasm just by thinking (or dreaming) about a sexual experience.