What you need to know about the relationship between sleep and sex
Both sleep and sex are important to your health and well-being. But most people don't realize that one affects the other. The quality of your sleep can determine the quality of your sex life, and vice versa. For example, studies have shown that sleep disorders increase the risk of erectile dysfunction. And do you know how having an orgasm can make you drowsy? This is caused by the release of certain hormones.
“Sleep and sex are closely related. Both are important for physical, mental and emotional health and well-being, and problems with one often feed into problems with the other,” says Sarah Melancon, PhD, sociologist and clinical sexologist at Sex Toy Collective. Melancon previously worked at a sexual health clinic that included both sexual dysfunction and sleep programs. Patients with sexual dysfunction often also have sleep problems. This is no coincidence.
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Understanding the relationship between sleep and sex can help you improve your habits to optimize these two key areas of your lifestyle. Here's what you need to know:
Bad sleep can interfere with your sex life
According to Melancon, “Sleep is a restorative time that regulates the endocrine system, which produces sex hormones.” For example, testosterone is an important sex hormone in men and promotes sexual desire. Sleep affects the natural rhythm of testosterone levels, which can affect your sexual health and libido. Studies have shown that sleep deprivation reduces testosterone levels in men. “Testosterone works in part in sync with our circadian rhythm, peaking in the morning and decreasing throughout the day. REM sleep in particular is important for testosterone synthesis and appears to be associated with nocturnal erections,” adds Melancon.
So if you suffer from insomnia or don't get enough sleep, it can affect your ability to crave sex and perform in the bedroom. This may be partly due to the link between sleep and testosterone, but it may also be due to other factors. For example, one study found a significant link between insomnia and sexual dysfunction. According to the researchers who conducted the study, stress may be to blame as it not only causes sleep problems but can also negatively affect sexual function.
Sleep apnea is also a potential disruptive factor. Several studies have found a link between sleep apnea and erectile dysfunction. Takeout? Sleep hygiene is more important than you might think when it comes to your sex life.
Sex May Improve Your Sleep
Now that you understand how sleep can affect sex, let’s take a look at how sex can affect sleep. The most important thing you need to know is that an active sex life can improve your sleep quality.
“If you feel drowsy or uncontrollably sleepy after sex, this is normal. When a man reaches ejaculation, a variety of chemicals are released in the brain, including prolactin, vasopressin, and oxytocin. Prolactin is a hormone present during sleep and is also associated with sexual satisfaction in men. “When you have sex, orgasm from intercourse releases four times more prolactin than during masturbation.” According to Nicole Eichelberger, a BSM-certified sleep specialist and consultant at Mattressive who specializes in insomnia, apnea, and circadian rhythm disorders. According to her, levels of the stress hormone cortisol also drop during sex. As she puts it, “Sex can have a positive impact on a man's life, just as men who have an active sex life sleep better.”
There is another interesting side to the coin. Sexual frustration can increase stress and interfere with sleep. “Sexual frustration can be conceptualized as sexual tension accompanied by a lack of satisfactory release, stress, anxiety, and even anger. All of this disrupts sleep,” says Melancon.
Improve both your sleep and sexual health
To summarize the information above, sleep disorders can cause problems in the bedroom, but sex can improve your sleep. This is a bit of a vicious cycle, but you can take steps to turn it into a virtuous cycle and improve both your sleep and your sex life.
The first order of business is getting a good night's sleep every night. According to Melancon, long sleep is associated with healthy testosterone levels. Melancon recommends living according to your natural circadian rhythm, which will help you reach your goals. how? Go to bed early and wake up around sunrise. Get early morning and midday sunlight on your skin and eyes (without glasses). Wear blue light blocking glasses in the evening and red glasses an hour before bed to stimulate the secretion of melatonin, which helps you feel sleepy. “TrueDark is a good brand,” says Melancon.
Exercise is important because it improves both sleep and sexual function. You'll also want to look after your mental health. “Relax and de-stress through mindfulness, yoga, tai chi, qigong, or related practices. Mindfulness has been shown to improve erectile dysfunction,” adds Melancon. Lastly, Dr. Philip Lindeman, a physician and sleep expert at GhostBed, suggests avoiding excessive drinking. “Alcohol does not help with sex or sleep.”
If you've adopted all of the above lifestyle changes but are still having trouble sleeping and having sex, talk to your doctor. There may be an underlying medical problem that needs to be addressed, such as treatment for sleep apnea. Great sex and sleep awaits.
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