Though there’s not an obvious correlation, many cisgender women and menstruating folks report feeling hornier during their period. It may seem counterintuitive at first, but there are plenty of reasons that some might prefer to rock the crimson wave.
Hormones, hormones, and more hormones
During ovulation, a person who menstruates will experience their highest levels of estrogen, which is notorious for boosting a person’s sex drive. However, during the week of your period, estrogen levels are lower, as are levels of progesterone. The lower levels of both hormones don’t make for an obvious spike in desire or arousal.
Enter testosterone. During your period, there is a small increase in testosterone, which is known to increase desire and libido. Well-known for its impact on the sex drive of cisgender men, testosterone can also boost arousal for people who menstruate. Sidebar—people with higher levels of misogyny love to say women are “emotional” during their period. But it’s testosterone that increases during menstruation, so if that is what is leading to emotional dysregulation, then what might we extrapolate about the emotional disposition of cisgender men who tend to have higher levels of testosterone in general?
Moving on …
In addition to hormonal fluctuation, there are some contextual factors that lead to an increase in arousal during menses.
Less inhibition
More lubrication
Pain relief
Forget claiming a headache to avoid sex. For people with a headache, sex can help to reduce the pain and help you feel better faster. A nice perk when you’ve got the period aches.
Mood booster
While being horny on your period isn’t universal, it isn’t uncommon. Some people may experience an increase in desire at that time of the month, and others may maintain a strong aversion or no real change at all. All are healthy and common reactions, so honor what your body needs and wants. Periods can be annoying enough as it is; no one needs any additional judgment added to the mix.
From Poosh
