Ep 93 | Rewriting the Rules of Sex in Midlife: Dr Maria Sophocles on the Bedroom Gap

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Have you found yourself wondering why your libido has left the bedroom? Or maybe thinking, why does sex feel different now, and why didn't anyone prepare me for this? If you have felt confused, frustrated, disconnected from your body, or quietly worried that midlife and menopause might mean the end of pleasure, this episode is for you. In this conversation on Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriella Espinosa welcomes back Dr. Maria Sophocles, board-certified obstetrician gynecologist, menopause specialist, sexual counselor, and author of the new book The Bedroom Gap: Rewrite the Rules and Roles of Sex in Midlife. Together, they explore what is actually happening to women's bodies in midlife and why so many of us were never properly prepared. 

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Maria Sophocles is a gynecologist, author and public advocate for women's health. Her mission to close the gendered healthcare gap inspired her viral TED talk and book, The Bedroom Gap, about what happens to sex in midlife. Her efforts to provide access to contraception in New Jersey changed the state’s constitution. Her virtual clinic serves women in eleven US states and internationally. She is currently working on a documentary about sex and menopause.  She is married with four grown children.

Highlights from our discussion include:

• This concept identifies the broad cultural and medical forces that create disparities in sexual expectations and experiences between partners.

• Localized estrogen, hyaluronic acid, and FDA-approved medications like Addyi provide clinical paths to resolving midlife sexual health issues.

• Inherited androcentric scripts and historical shame often prevent women from advocating for their own pleasure and health.

• The Mind, Meds, Medicine, Movement, and Moisture framework offers a structured roadmap for reclaiming sexual vibrancy.

• Sexual health functions as a vital pillar of longevity by lowering blood pressure and serving as an antidote to loneliness.

If this conversation opened your eyes to what is possible when it comes to sexual pleasure in midlife, please subscribe to Pleasure in the Pause for more honest, evidence based conversations about menopause, sexual health, and embodiment.

If you're seeking to reclaim your pleasure and vitality, join Gabriella at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.pleasureinthepause.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for this enlightening journey into the heart of female pleasure and empowerment.

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The information shared on Pleasure in the Pause is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making any decisions about your health or treatment. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or Pleasure in the Pause.