Poor quality sleep is directly linked to inadequate levels of sex hormones, such as testosterone. ‘The sex drive in both men and women is testosterone-related — testosterone increases libido.
Testosterone begins to rise about 3 or 4 o’clock and peaks in the morning. And studies have shown that if you have disrupted sleep, those levels fall.
Women over 50 who slept fewer than seven to eight hours per night were less likely to report being sexually active than younger women, according to a 2017 Menopause Society study. It’s a problem that worsens with age as sleep becomes more precious. In fact, women older than 70 who slept fewer than five hours a night were 30% less likely to be sexually active than women sleeping seven to eight hours, that study found.
A 2021 analysis of studies found men who were sleep-deprived had lower testosterone levels, while another study found men with disturbed sleep had both lower testosterone levels and higher amounts of cortisol, the stress hormone.
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When sleep becomes a priority, however, sex lives can improve. A 2015 study of sleep and sex in college students found each additional hour of sleep was correlated to an improved libido, greater vaginal lubrication and a 14% increase in having sex the next day.
Work on your sleep hygiene
Just as you choose your clothes or style your hair, you need to prepare your body and bedroom for good sleep. Keep the bedroom cool and dark without blue light distractions such as televisions and smartphones. Avoid eating or drinking about three hours before retiring — especially alcohol, which will wake you in the middle of the night once it metabolizes. Try soothing music, yoga or meditation or consider a warm bath or shower to relax.
Get tested for a sleep disorder
Sleep disorders can also interfere with sex, and millions of Americans have one or more, often undiagnosed. Obstructive sleep apnea — a potentially dangerous condition in which people stop breathing for 10 seconds or more at a time multiple times an hour — has been linked to erectile dysfunction in men and sexual disorders in women.
While snoring is a common symptom of sleep apnea, so are night sweats, tooth grinding and morning headaches. All these can be warning signs that you should visit a sleep specialist.
Insomnia, in which people wake during the night and have trouble getting back to sleep, is another sign of sleep apnea — as well as a sleep disorder on its own — and is linked to sexual issues in both men and women.
Poor sleep also increases the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular problems in both sexes, limiting blood flow that may affect sexual function as well.
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