Yes, menopause can absolutely make you not want to be touched due to hormonal shifts causing reduced libido, vaginal dryness/discomfort, emotional changes, and physical symptoms like hot flashes that make intimacy unpleasant. Declining estrogen affects skin sensitivity and lubrication, while lower oxytocin (the "cuddle hormone") can decrease bonding, making you feel less affectionate or even detached from partners and family, preferring solitude.
Oxytocin is the hormone that is responsible for helping us to feel bonded to our friends, family and romantic partners. So, if it declines, you might feel less inclined to want to be around others, and/or your love and affection towards your partner might be either absent or no longer as strong.
Weird Symptoms of Perimenopause
Hormonal and Body Changes
Slowed sexual response — A woman may experience a loss of sensitivity to touch, making it more challenging to get aroused and reach orgasm, and she may find her orgasms have become less intense.
Perimenopause, the transition to menopause, is often broken down into four overlapping stages focusing on menstrual cycle changes: the Late Reproductive Stage (slight cycle variations), Early Perimenopause (cycles vary by 7+ days), Late Perimenopause (cycles 60+ days apart, skipping periods), and finally, Menopause (12 months without a period), marking the end of perimenopause's hormonal fluctuations. Symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, and brain fog can appear in any stage, though they often intensify in later stages as hormone drops become more significant, especially progesterone.
Hormonal imbalances show up as symptoms like fatigue, mood swings, weight changes, irregular periods, skin issues (acne), hair changes, sleep problems, brain fog, low libido, digestive issues, and temperature sensitivity, affecting energy, body functions, and mental well-being, often linked to stress, thyroid, or reproductive hormones.
Here are the top five vitamins essential for female wellness during menopause.
Sensory issues: Touch can feel overwhelming or unpleasant due to neurological differences. Personal boundaries: Strong preference for personal space and autonomy. Mental health conditions: Anxiety, depression, or PTSD can impact how you respond to touch.
The peak symptom phase typically occurs during the transition between perimenopause and early postmenopause. Most women experience their worst symptoms for 4-5 years, though the entire menopause journey can last up to 14 years.
Know the Facts: Your partner will spend up to half of her life in a stage of menopause. Avoid misunderstandings by learning how your partner's changing hormone levels can lead to symptoms like mood swings, brain fog, being more tired, or changes in sexual health. There are also long term health impacts.
Additional symptoms include:
Perimenopause, the transition to menopause, typically starts in a woman's mid-to-late 40s, but can begin as early as the mid-30s or even earlier, and usually lasts for about four to eight years before menopause (the final period) occurs around age 51. Average onset varies, with some sources pointing to age 46, but it's a highly individual process, influenced by genetics and lifestyle.
During perimenopause, avoid or limit spicy foods, caffeine, and alcohol to reduce hot flashes and sleep issues, along with sugary/processed foods, refined carbs, and unhealthy fats that worsen mood swings, energy crashes, and weight gain; also, quit smoking, as it can intensify symptoms. Focus instead on whole foods, hydration, and stress management for better symptom relief.
According to a 2022 survey by the Family Law Menopause Project in the U.K., 73 percent of women blamed menopause for their divorce. Haver says she can see why: “The reasons are multifactorial. It may simply be that menopause gives her enough clarity to realize, It's okay for me to go.
Talk about it.
Many men are uncomfortable discussing menopause, Saltz says, but try to talk about ways you can help relieve her symptoms as a team. Ask how you can ease their stress. Also, encourage better sleep habits, or start an exercise regimen together.
Hot flashes or flushes are, by far, the most common symptom of menopause. About 75% of all women have these sudden, brief, periodic increases in their body temperature.
Weight gain, brain fog, fatigue, temperature regulation, and irregular periods if you have an autoimmune disease or family history of thyroid problems. Many of the symptoms of hypothyroidism can mimic the symptoms of perimenopause.
The Age is a daily newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, that has been published since 1854.
Menopause can happen in the 40s or 50s. But the average age is 51 in the United States. Menopause is natural.
Women subconsciously make a connection that physical affection will most likely lead to sex, and if their mind or their body doesn't feel up to it, it feels safer to avoid all physical connection all together (this response is known as “the bristle reaction“). This can also feel like pressure.
Chronic muscle tension represents one of the most common physical manifestations of high functioning anxiety. This tension often concentrates in the shoulders, neck, and jaw, creating a persistent state of physical constriction that can lead to headaches, soreness, and even temporomandibular joint (TMJ) issues.
The 70/30 rule in relationships suggests balancing time together (70%) with personal time apart (30%) for hobbies, friends, and self-growth, promoting independence and preventing codependency, while another view says it's about accepting 70% of your partner as "the one" and learning to live with the other 30% of quirks, requiring effort to manage major issues within that space, not a pass for abuse. Both interpretations emphasize finding a sustainable balance and acknowledging that relationships aren't always 50/50, with the key being communication and effort, not strict adherence to numbers.
Jennifer Aniston is known for her vigorous wellness routine, which involves compression boots, collagen supplements and infrared saunas. Now, she's hit the headlines with her favourite fitness regime, Pvolve, which has been shown to be particularly beneficial for menopausal women.
Menopause: Menopause is the point when you no longer have menstrual periods. At this stage, your ovaries don't release eggs, and your body doesn't produce much estrogen. A healthcare provider diagnoses menopause when you've gone without a period for 12 consecutive months.
Many women, like Oprah, are given systemic estrogen. This can be taken in a pill form, gel, skin patch, spray, or cream to relieve menopausal symptoms. Estrogen HRT has even been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease when taking post menopause – which is one year after your period has stopped entirely.