Libido is a term used to denote the sexual drive in people. It is existent in both men and women, and it is difficult to say in whom it is greater. This is because libido is not something that can be measured; and to top it, libido varies very greatly from one person to another. People feel different sexual urges at different times, even within the same day. Libido also depends upon external factors like climate, geographical location, day or night, etc. Hence, any discussion on libido is very difficult to conduct in terms of quantities.

It has been observed that the sexual drive in women is much more dynamic than that in men. There are many more factors on which the female libido depends, simply because the female sexual biology is much more complicated than the male.

Women could find an increase in their libidos under the following conditions:

• When girls are midway into their puberties, there could be an increase in their sexual drives. Actually this is the period when the girls come to understand more about sex, and this revelation leads them to want to experiment and find out.

• Most girls find themselves infatuated with a male member in their lives quite soon in life. This could be a neighbor, or a school/college friend, or a teacher, or even a relative. Women who are thus infatuated will find an almost uncontrollable increase in their libido at times. The libido could be sometimes so high that the women would not be able to perform if at all they manage to have sex with the man of their fantasies.

• When women fall into love for the first time, their libidos are generally high.

• Women have high libidos when taken out at a solitary place. That is the reason why couples prefer lonely resorts for their honeymoons.

• Sometimes women get an increase in their libido when they are undergoing their pregnancies. This could be because of the changes in their bodies, which could be turning on their men.

Yet, women are not always at a sexual high. The following are the times when the libido of women could be low:

• Women having their menstrual periods are generally lacking in their sexual drive. This is because of both reasons – the hormonal changes occurring in their bodies and the discomfort around their genital areas.

• Drastic moods can also affect libidos. Women are generally moodier than men, and this could show in their desire for sex. Anything wrong with their environment could make them perform poorly in sex.

• Pregnancies can increase libidos, but it is also responsible for decreasing libidos in many women. This could be because the woman is in anticipation of a greater joy – the baby that is to come – and sex may not hold her interest anymore. Also the woman may find her body too heavy to perform active sex.

Libido is one of the most important factors to have a good sexual experience. Without a sexual drive, the intercourse becomes nothing more than some kind of a physical exercise. Therefore a couple must make efforts in order to bring about an increase in the libidos.

This puts a greater responsibility on the male partner, as it is he who can arouse the libidinous instincts of a woman. Men should begin with stimulating conversation about love and caring. Surveys have revealed that women perform better when they have comfortable conversations before the sexual encounter. From the conversation, the man should gradually lead into the foreplay, which could begin by kissing and then carry on to caressing and fondling. The length of the foreplay should be very carefully decided. It should not be so short that the woman may feel dissatisfied; and at the same time it should not be so long that the woman may get bored.

During the foreplay, the man must touch all the vital sexual areas of the woman’s body so as to arouse her fully for sex. The important regions are the nipples, the genitals and especially, the clitoris. The clitoris is as important to the female as the penis is to the male. For this reason, it is necessary that the clitoris must be properly stimulated. The male can do it his own way by either rubbing or stroking the clitoris. This is very important if he wants the woman to reciprocate better. A woman with an aroused libido is also a better performer at sex.

Needless to say, several methods have been employed since ages in order to increase the female libido, since it directly influences the satisfaction of both partners. Apart from conventional medicines, several herbal remedies are also being used since age-old times. Herbs like Ashwagandha, wild yam, Avena sativa, ginseng, ginkgo, kawa kawa, maca are an integral part of Ayurveda. These herbs have all the aphrodisiac properties required for making partners perform better.