Over the course of your lifetime, it’s normal to experience a rise and fall in your libido. This might happen for a number of reasons. Natural events like illness, pregnancy and menopause can impact your sexual desire. Emotional changes can, too. Beginning a relationship, making a major change in your life, experiencing excessive amounts of stress—all of these things could have a dramatic impact on your ability to get in the mood.

It’s critical to remember that you are not alone—these changes are perfectly normal and affect many more women than you’d think! Even more importantly, understand that low libido isn’t necessarily permanent. There are steps you can take to improve your sexual arousal.

You may end up being one of those lucky people who finds the perfect remedy with one simple change. However, odds are that won’t be the case. A combination of lifestyle changes and remedies might be necessary for you to feel comfortable with your sex drive again. Here are eight different habits to help make it happen.

1. Communicate with your partner

Whether you’re in a relationship or not, one of the simplest things you can do when dealing with low libido is to open up about it. Make sure you’re communicating your emotions to your partner and enlist their help in finding a solution. There might be things they can do to help you relax or get in the mood that they just don’t know yet.

This can be intimidating for some, but you might find that the conversation isn’t as awkward or painful as you expect it to be! Over time, communicating will become easier and more routine.

2. Assess your prescriptions

If you’re one of the millions of women who takes prescription medication on a regular basis, it’s important to remember that these drugs could be affecting your libido. In particular, prescriptions that impact hormone levels (like birth control or mental health medications) could be lowering your sexual desire.

Anytime you begin a new medication, make sure you’re aware of the potential side effects and watch for them carefully. Talk to your doctor to see if an alternative medication is available without this side effect.

3. Speak with your doctor

In many cases, low libido can be improved with some personal exploration and lifestyle changes. However, reduced sexual desire could also indicate that a larger issue is at play.

If you notice that your inability to get aroused is one of a number of growing symptoms (potentially including weight gain, fatigue and hair loss), be sure to talk to your doctor and have tests run for health problems like thyroid disorders.

4. Meditate

Stress is a proven cause of low libido—and that’s just one of the many harmful effects it has on your overall wellbeing. To fight back against stress, take time each day to meditate.

Just a few minutes of relaxing, breathing and focusing on calming the turmoil within can help you discover new ways to improve your sexual desire and other aspects of your daily life.

5. Take an herbal aid

Most women don’t require medical attention for their low libido, but they might benefit from a little natural help! Many herbs contain aphrodisiac properties that help increase your desire, provide improved sexual energy and stimulate physical responses like arousal and lubrication. An herbal libido supplement can be a valuable part of a routine rooted in sexual and overall wellbeing.

6. Eat aphrodisiac foods

Apart from herbs, there are many foods that contain similar aphrodisiac properties! Most people know of the most popular aphrodisiacs like oysters and strawberries, but there’s a long list of foods that have been linked to improved arousal. Artichokes, figs, watermelon, chili peppers and avocados are just a few. Incorporate them into your daily diet to maximize their effects.

7. Lower your workload

Most adult women carry a lot on their plate. Working full-time, paying bills, maintaining your home, taking care of children—the list could go on and on. Unfortunately, every aspect of your busy life can detract from your ability to truly relax and enjoy sex.

If you feel like the stress is too much, try to find ways to reduce your workload. Ask your partner or your kids to pitch in. Reduce your responsibilities at work. Take more time for self-care. Offloading just a little bit can reduce your stress and allow you to get in the mood more easily.

8. Exercise frequently

An essential part of a normal libido and a rewarding sex life making sure your body is physically prepared to have sex. This means that getting regular exercise is crucial for your sex drive.

If you don’t have time to hit the gym every day, try yoga, go for a walk or take a jog. Find some way to get active for more than 20 minutes at a time, three days a week. If you’re able to include your partner in the exercise, you just might boost your quality time and intimacy, too!

Help is out there

If you’re dealing with the frustrations that come with a low libido, it’s important to remind yourself that it’s not permanent. Communicate your feelings to your partner, implement some healthy habits and be patient as you work toward a solution—there’s one out there!