Q: I am 35, and my partner wants to have sex all the time. For some reason, I never have the same desire. Is this normal, or is something wrong with me?

A: Some will argue that sex is a basic human need, while others will tell you that they can do without it. An estimated 40 percent of women and 35 percent of men report a loss of sex drive at some moment in their lives.

Whether you are a man or a woman, your desire to have sex varies depending on what is going on in your life. Most people assume that a lost libido is related to hormones or an illness of some sort. However, sexual activity begins in the brain with attraction and arousal, and it is completed through a complex interplay of touch, thoughts, emotions, hormones and timing. If any one of these things is blocked or lacking, it will zap your desire to have sex.

In order to jump-start your libido, make a conscious decision to have sex regardless of what is going on in your life. After that first deep kiss or sensual touch, desire will kick in and sex can be explosive whether you initially wanted it or not.