In Episode 515 of the Sexology Podcast, Dr. Nazanin Moali speaks with functional medicine practitioner and Doctor of Pharmacy Dr. Meg Mill about low libido in midlife and why hormones are only one part of the story.

Changes in estrogen and other hormones can affect vaginal comfort, sleep, mood, arousal, and sexual interest. But desire can also be influenced by chronic stress, exhaustion, pain during sex, medications, relationship dynamics, body image, nutrition, and the thoughts you have about yourself and your sexuality.

Dr. Meg explains how spending years in a high-stress state can affect sleep, energy, digestion, and the ability to transition from managing daily responsibilities into sexual arousal. She also discusses why restrictive dieting and eating too little during midlife may leave women feeling depleted rather than more connected to their bodies.

You will learn how negative self-talk can reinforce disconnection from desire, how Dr. Meg’s 7-Second Switch can interrupt an unhelpful thought pattern, and why calming the nervous system before sex may be more useful than expecting desire to appear on command.

Dr. Meg and Dr. Moali also discuss what to review with a qualified health care professional when libido changes, why hormone testing should be individualized, and how women can approach midlife as an opportunity to rediscover their bodies rather than as the end of their sexuality.

• Why low libido in perimenopause is not only about hormones

• How hormonal changes can affect comfort, sleep, arousal, and desire

• Why chronic stress can interfere with sexual interest

• How negative self-talk affects body image and desire

• How to conduct a daily self-talk audit

• How Dr. Meg’s 7-Second Switch reframes unhelpful thoughts

• Why restrictive dieting can leave women feeling depleted

• Nutrition habits that support energy and overall health

• How to calm your nervous system before intimacy

• What symptoms to discuss with a health care professional

• Why hormone testing should be based on your individual symptoms

• Why pain, medications, sleep, and relationship factors matter

• How to rediscover pleasure and desire during midlife

• Why a strong health foundation matters before choosing treatment

Dr. Meg Mill, PharmD, is a certified functional medicine practitioner, founder of the Women’s Functional Health Institute, TEDx speaker, and host of the A Little Bit Healthier podcast.

After working as a pharmacist, Dr. Meg shifted her focus toward helping women explore the possible contributors to persistent symptoms and changes in their well-being. She has worked with women around the world and also trains practitioners in women’s functional health.

She is the creator of the 7-Second Switch, a brief reframing tool designed to help people interrupt unhelpful thought patterns and choose a more supportive response.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DR. MEG MILL:

https://7secondswitch.com

DOWNLOAD A WOMAN’S GUIDE TO REVIVING SEX DRIVE:

https://oasis2care.com/how-to-increase-your-libido