When does a person feel hornier?
Gender Women’s drive can change over the month for a variety of reasons, including:
ovulation
The authors of a 2015 review found that women tended to initiate more sex and showed a greater interest in sex just before ovulation. They estimated that an estrogen peak occurs around 24 hours after ovulation in the middle of the cycle.
According to the review, scientists believe that estradiol, one of the three types of estrogen hormones, increases sexual arousal in women.
The fact that postmenopausal women who report a lack of sexual desire have lower levels of estradiol in their blood supports this idea.
Second trimester of pregnancy
Because hormone levels change significantly during pregnancy, different people may experience different sexual desire.
According to a study from 2020, some hormonal changes may cause people to want more attention and affection from their partners during the first stages of pregnancy. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean they have an increased sex drive, as they may suffer from nausea and other complaints due to early pregnancy.
In the second trimester, the authors note that sexual desire may increase as the person gets used to their pregnancy and becomes more comfortable and comfortable. However, as a rule, sex drive decreases rapidly as the pregnancy develops and reaches the third trimester.
During the weekend
Research shows that timing can be an important factor in determining when a person is feeling horny. Over the weekend, college-age women were twice or even three times more likely to have sexual contact than on weekdays. The average probability of a woman having sex was 22% on weekend days versus 9% on other days.
But the researchers find that the conflicting schedules of cohabiting partners during the week may have helped increase the likelihood of sexual contact over the weekend.
The menstrual cycle and the feeling of lust
Sexual arousal is closely linked to hormone levels, particularly those of hormones that relate to the menstrual cycle.
The menstrual cycle
The menstrual cycle starts on the first day of a period and consists of two main phases: the follicular phase and the luteal phase.
Learn more about the menstrual cycle here.
follicular phase
The first half of the cycle is called the follicular phase. During this phase, estrogen levels are higher than progesterone levels.
Women tend to feel more sexual arousal towards the end of the follicular phase as luteinizing hormone (LH) increases. This point in the cycle marks the onset of ovulation and is the time when the chance of conception is higher.
luteal phase
The second phase of the cycle, after ovulation, is the luteal phase. In this part of the cycle, progesterone levels begin to overtake estrogen levels. However, both start to decline towards the end of the cycle to allow menstruation, which signals the start of a new cycle.
Women not only feel less horny during this part of the cycle but are also able to process emotions in a different way. A study from 2018 found that women in the late luteal phase are sadder and experience less amusement compared to men.
attitude towards kissing
A 2013 study found that attitudes toward romantic kissing vary depending on the menstrual cycle. Women in the follicular phase rated the importance of kissing higher in the initial stages of a relationship than women in the luteal phase.
Because the late follicular phase occurs just before ovulation, this suggests that women appreciate kissing as a way to assess a potential partner when the chances of conceiving are highest.
The luteal phase, on the other hand, occurs after ovulation, when the chance of conception decreases.
When do women feel the hottest?
The
Arousal can peak at slightly different times throughout the month, especially if ovulation occurs later.
A 2019 study looked at more than 600,000 menstrual cycles that people had entered into an app and found that the majority of women did not ovulate on day 14. The average time spent in the luteal phase was also 12.4 days, not 14.
According to a 2013 study, persistently high sexual desire can have costs, such as increasing the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Therefore, there may be benefits if libido falls during less fertile phases of the menstrual cycle.
Does testosterone increase lust in women?
Research shows that both testosterone and estradiol can affect how horny a person feels. However, more research is needed to determine the full effect of testosterone on sexual arousal in women.
In a 2013 study, researchers measured testosterone, estradiol, and progesterone levels in young women over one or two menstrual cycles by collecting saliva samples daily. The results showed that progesterone levels negatively predicted sexual desire, while estradiol levels predicted it positively. Testosterone did not predict sexual behavior.
When to see a doctor
It doesn’t matter if a person has a low or high sex drive unless it bothers them. Everyone is different and there is no “normal.”
People who are desperate or worried about their libido may want to talk to their doctor or contact a sexual health counseling center.
Executive summary
Many women are at their hottest at or just before ovulation due to changes in hormone levels associated with the menstrual cycle.
People who are concerned about or affected by their sex drive, regardless of whether they feel it is too high or too low, may find talking to a healthcare professional comforting and helpful.