Here's Why You're Feeling Super Horny on Your Period

It sounds counter-intuitive: you’re bloated, exhausted and in pain – not to mention you have blood literally pouring out of you – and yet you’re also feeling super frisky. Can your sudden surge of interest in sex be explained by science? Allow us to fill you in on why you may be horny on your period.

Hormonal shifts mean that many of us are most turned on before and during ovulation – a couple of weeks into our cycle. Which makes sense, from an evolutionary perspective, as this is when we’re most likely to get pregnant.

But some people find they’re equally (or more) turned on while riding the crimson wave.

Considering how little research has been done into periods and how they affect our moods and well-being, you probably won’t be surprised to learn that there isn’t a ton of concrete information about the intricacies of their impact on our sex lives, so we can’t point to studies that explain why that might be.

But there are some possible explanations that seem to make sense, which can roughly be divided into two types:

Biological

Estrogen drops before a period, which has always been understood to dampen the sex drive. But levels of progesterone, which has a naturally libido-lowering effect, are also reduced. So, if you’re especially sensitive to that, or if you take a birth control pill high in progesterone the rest of the month, you might find yourself more in the mood for love (or lust).

It’s also possible that increased horniness could also be connected to a rise in testosterone around this time. Typically associated with men, women have a natural supply too, and when its levels are boosted, it can make you more turned on and improve your mood.

Finally, the very fact that more blood is flowing to your genitals could be a factor. This puts more pressure on the pelvis, stimulating nerve endings around the vulva, and putting you in mind of sex.

Psychological

At the start of your period, you can wave goodbye to PMS, and the thrill of no longer feeling homicidal all day is a turn-on in itself.

Consciously or subconsciously, the fact that you’re less likely to get pregnant at this time might make you feel more free and easy, as might the fact that you’re naturally better lubricated. If you’ve had great period sex in the past, you’ll probably remember it around the same time every month and want to keep repeating that positive association.

You might even get a kick out of the fact that having sex on your period is still a taboo to most people, and something many of us were brought up to believe was wrong.

There are all kinds of reasons you might be feeling hornier around this time, and it could be down to a mix of factors. The great news is, whether you’ll be indulging in passionate period sex or some intense solo action, orgasms help relieve cramps as they improve blood flow and trigger the release of endorphins, which improving your mood and making it easier to tolerate pain.

Our periods don’t always give us a reason to celebrate, but if yours do, lie back (or get into whatever position you prefer) and make the most of it.