Arousal

Sexual arousal is the physical and mental reaction your body has to sexual stimulation. Physical responses include increased blood flow to the genitals, natural lubrication, and heightened sensitivity. Mental responses include interest, engagement, and excitement. Arousal and desire are related but they are not the same. You can feel arousal without initial desire, and you can have desire without the immediate physical arousal.

Menopause can affect arousal in many ways. Decreasing estrogen reduces blood flow to genital tissue and lowers natural lubrication, which makes physical arousal slower or less intense. Testosterone also plays a part in arousal, and its decline during menopause can make the physical and mental response of arousal decrease. These changes are biological, not personal, and many women find that treatment targeting the underlying hormonal shifts makes a significant difference.