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. 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:Why the bedroom gap is about more than just the orgasm gap and includes the difference in expectations, abilities, education, medical support, and cultural scripts between men and women around sex and pleasure.The real medical solutions for genitourinary syndrome of menopause symptoms including vaginal estrogen, vaginal prasterone, hyaluronic acid suppositories, and two FDA approved medications for low sexual desire, Addyi and Vyleesi.How shame, inherited sexual scripts, and the androcentric model of sex (sex designed for male pleasure) keep women from speaking up about their sexual health concerns to doctors or partners.Dr. Sophocles's Five M's framework: mind, meds, medicine, movement, and moisture, a roadmap for women who feel overwhelmed and want to reclaim sexual pleasure.Why sexual health is a fifth pillar of longevity, how staying sexually active lowers blood pressure and anxiety, increases lifespan, and combats the epidemic of loneliness.CONNECT WITH Dr. Maria Sophocles:Ep 6TED TalkHot DocumentaryInstagramThe Bedroom Gap BookWebsiteCONNECT WITH GABRIELLA ESPINOSA:InstagramLinkedInWork with Gabriella!  Go to https://www.gabriellaespinosa.com/ to book a call.Full episodes on YouTube.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.