By Editor,Jana Hocking

Copyright dailymail

Any woman will tell you that libido can be a fickle thing. One moment you’re lusting after the office heart-throb, the next you’re repulsed by the very whiff of a man.

And when that elusive spark disappears, it’s like someone has announced Christmas is cancelled.

Not so long ago, when I discovered my own sexual desire had gone MIA, I made three major lifestyle changes.

Firstly, I decided to seriously de-stress. I’d just moved countries and was completely burnt out. Brad Pitt could have been standing naked in a field of daisies beckoning me and I would have opted for an early night with a good book instead.

Secondly, I started prioritising sleep. Instead of lying in bed rehashing something I said to an ex six years ago, I committed to evening walks and no phones before bed. I was out like a light. The deeper my sleep, the more my libido started creeping back.

And lastly, cold water therapy jolted me back to life. Honestly, 30 seconds of freezing water at the end of my shower changed me. Scientists say (I swear!) that an ice bath can have the same effect as a line of cocaine.

By calming my cortisol levels and restoring my energy, I was my old self again. So I asked my friends and followers for the tips, tricks and happy accidents that sent their sex lives roaring back after a dry spell.

And on this particular topic, I must say, I wasn’t disappointed…

‘Getting off the pill gave me my sex life back’

One reader told me that quitting hormonal contraception changed everything.

After years of diminished sensation downstairs, her sex drive came back with a vengeance when she got off the pill. But what shocked her most was her suddenly changed taste in men.

Almost overnight, the arrogant bad boys she used to chase seemed revolting to her. Instead, she found herself attracted to men who were calmer, kinder, and more grounded.

‘It was like my body recalibrated,’ she said.

‘I wanted healthy sex and healthy men, not the chaos I’d put up with before.’

‘Surgery saved my sex life’

I spoke to a woman who had one of her ovaries removed due to a large cyst.

Doctors reassured her it wouldn’t affect her hormones – but she says she noticed the change in her libido immediately.

For three months after the surgery, her libido skyrocketed.

‘I couldn’t get enough,’ she admitted. ‘It was like my body went into overdrive. Honestly, it was insane.

‘I wish more women knew about this.’

‘Running out of meds was a blessing in disguise’

A friend told me that ADHD medication brought order to her life of chaos – but one trade-off was a diminished libido.

During a recent medication shortage in Australia, she found herself without access to her usual prescription drugs for several weeks.

To her amazement, her libido came back with a vengeance.

Combined with her inability to focus on other tasks, she became almost fixated on sex, masturbation and reaching orgasm.

‘Within days, I was so horny I couldn’t concentrate on anything,’ she laughed.

It was during this period when she couldn’t access her meds that she achieved a type of gushing orgasm she hadn’t experienced – before or since.

‘It was a complete fluke. I’ve never been able to do it again. But it showed me my body was capable of things I didn’t even know were possible,’ she said.

‘I got a Mirena and suddenly became a hornball’

One lady found her libido in a place she wasn’t even looking.

She told me: ‘I wasn’t looking for a libido boost – I just wanted better period control. But after getting a Mirena [contraceptive coil], I went from masturbating once a week to five times.

‘I was single at the time and had to invest in a few high-quality toys to keep up. Apparently only five per cent of women report increased libido on the Mirena, but if you actually ask around, it’s way more common.

‘These days I still go through cycles: low during my period, wild during ovulation, but overall my sex drive is thriving. Lucky I’ve got a couple of great friends-with-benefits on speed dial.’

What is it about ovulation that drives us all wild? Men really should start tracking their partners’ cycles…

‘A new hobby did wonders’

Another reader said she rediscovered her mojo through sheer silliness.

In the throes of perimenopause in her forties, she signed up for adult circus classes, of all things. She puts it down to her so-called ‘midlife crisis’.

From hanging off silks to tumbling across mats, she learned to move her body in ways she hadn’t since she was a teenager.

‘It gave me confidence I didn’t realise I was missing,’ she said.

‘That confidence translated directly to the bedroom. Turns out swinging upside down does wonders for your sex drive.’

‘I got off the pill and discovered women’

Our second ‘getting off the pill’ story of the day comes from a woman who didn’t simply notice an improved libido… instead, it altered her sexual orientation.

‘I realised I wasn’t that into men at all,’ she admitted.

She started noticing women in a new way. She began exploring her attraction slowly, and eventually embraced her identity as a lesbian.

‘It was like the fog cleared,’ she said.

‘For the first time, I understood myself. And my lack of a sex life finally made sense.’

‘I quit my toxic job’

It’s amazing what a change of scenery can do for one’s horniness…

‘My libido disappeared at about the same time my boss started sending 11pm emails and scheduling 7am meetings,’ a woman in her thirties told me.

‘I was burnt out, resentful and completely disconnected from my body. Sex was the last thing on my mind.

‘But after I finally walked away from the job, it was like someone turned the lights back on. I felt alive again. I had time, I had energy, and my sex drive came roaring back. It turns out an overwhelming mental load is the biggest turn-off of all.’

Bon voyage, boss!

‘Pregnancy – trust me!’

One woman told me that the best sex of her life happened when she was pregnant – something she hadn’t expected at all.

‘I was super horny while pregnant and my husband and I were always at it. My hormones were just pushed in the right direction, I guess,’ she said.

‘It’s funny because with some women you hear the total opposite.’

In conclusion…

Turns out there are endless ways to reignite your spark – sometimes by design, sometimes by sheer accident.

Maybe the secret isn’t hunting for it, but staying open enough to stumble into it.

Go get those orgasms, ladies, you deserve it!