Why do we want sex so much during our period?

If science is to be believed, it's around day 14, at the time of ovulation, that hormones are believed to be boiling. The rules, meanwhile, coincide with a decrease in desire. Yet, many people report a spike in sex drive around the time of their period. So who's telling the truth?

According to an American study published in 2003 by theAssociation of Reproductive Health Professionals, 62% of cisgender women want to have sex during their period. What is the influence of the menstrual cycle on sexual desire? Studies on the subject are often contradictory, but several hypotheses have been put forward.

Libido spikes during menstruation: the hormonal theory

In 2013, a study published in the Journal of Hormones and Behavior and conducted by researchers at the University of California found that fluctuating hormone levels during the menstrual cycle had a direct impact on libido. Among the hormones that influence libido is estradiol, one of the three types of estrogen produced by the ovaries. The higher their rate, the more sexual desire increases. However, estrogen levels are lowest during your period. So why do we want to make love so much during this time? The hypothesis defended by some scientists is that of testosterone. Just before menstruation, her rate rises slightly, which would cause increased desire.

Increased libido: physiological causes

There is also another argument that explains the increase in libido during menstruation for physiological reasons. For some people, having sex would alleviate the pain associated with their menstrual cycle, and thus increase their desire to have sex during this period. Additionally, sex and / or orgasm are both known to release endorphins, hormones that relieve pain and stress – something you might need subconsciously during this time of the month. “For some women, when they bleed and have cramps, the last thing they want is sex. Others, on the other hand, want sexual activity to relieve themselves ”, explains Nan Wise, a doctor of cognitive neuroscience and sex therapist at Women's Health.

Making love during your period, a psychological freedom?

The increased desire to have sex during menstruation might also be linked to subconscious relief that the chances of getting pregnant are lower during this time. There is "Certainly a psychological freedom" in this knowledge, according to Janet Brito, psychologist and sex therapist interviewed by the site Women's Health. However, it should be remembered that it is possible to get pregnant during your period, because the cycles are not always regular. In addition, menstrual blood increases the risk of contracting an STI, so it is essential to to protect yourself, anyway!

In their Small Encyclopedia of Rules (ed. First), Caroline Michel and Sylvia Vaisman also put forward a hypothesis linked to the taboo of sex during menstruation: "What if, subjected to a certain number of blockages, women felt more desire simply by being deprived of them?" "

In conclusion, if many of us get excited during our period, no scientific study has yet proven a direct link between the start of the cycle and the intensity of sexual desire. One thing is certain: wanting to make love is also (and above all) a question of state of mind, availability and environment. If all the ingredients are there, it would be wrong to do without!

Video: how to have sex during your period?

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Video by Clara Poudevigne