17/03/2026
Low or absent sexual desire is a common complaint we hear at Hormone Health Studio.
While there are many factors that affect your sexual desire (relationship issues, body confidence, negative sexual experiences, poor communication, sleep problems, underlying health issues, conditions such as endometriosis and adenomyosis, perimenopause, breastfeeding & postpartum, hormonal contraceptives..) stress is a huuuuge one.
A study published in the journal of Psychoneuroendocrinology reported just how stress affects sexual desire (PMID: 30909007) and it all comes down the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis—which basically refers to the communication between the brain and the adrenal glands.
When under prolonged stress, the HPA axis becomes dysregulated, affecting the secretion of hormones including cortisol and DHEAs.
What many studies have shown is that women reporting low sexual desire have altered levels of these hormones.
Think this could be you?
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