World Sleep Day: Doctor Reveals the Surprising Link Between Sex and Better Sleep
World Sleep Day is on Friday (14 March), a reminder of just how important quality rest is for our health and well-being. But if counting sheep isn’t cutting it, it might be time to consider another approach.
Here we worked with Ohdoki, the creator of The Handy, who has spoken with Dr Shivram Singh, a health expert at WINIT Clinic, to reveal how sex, and sleeping next to a partner, can have a positive impact on our sleep and relaxation levels.
From releasing a cocktail of hormones that help you relax and drift off faster, to helping lower cortisol levels, getting intimate could be the ultimate natural sleep aid. So without further ado, here’s how sex and sleep are linked, according to the doctor…
Sex releases the oxytocin hormone, whilst orgasms releases prolactin, creating the perfect cocktail for a restful slumber
Dr Singh says: “Sex can be useful for sleep, with the physiological and psychological changes in a person’s body helping in such. Following orgasm, there are a plethora of hormones in the body responsible for a calming sensation and feeling good. Afterward, many feel calmed, at ease, and relaxed in their bodies.
“These hormones are important for the sleep industry, especially oxytocin and prolactin. Oxytocin is sometimes called a bonding hormone, or cuddle hormone, and it induces feelings of attachment and relaxation as well as diminished stress to further allow for sleep. Prolactin, released after orgasm, increases a sense of satisfaction and grogginess, two feelings that help usher in sweet slumber.
“Sexual activity may lower levels of cortisol; high cortisol is likely to be the main reason for being awake in the first place. Sexual frustrations may have an effect of increasing cortisol levels, which makes one find it more difficult to relax and fall asleep. Therefore, the absence of sex, or the experiencing of prolonged sexual frustration, is likely to interfere with sleep due to stress and anxiety resulting from unfulfilled sexual needs.
“There are some potential disadvantages to sex before going to bed, especially when it involves a lot of intensity and an emotional charge. Highly vigorous sex usually tends to increase the heart rate and body temperature, delaying sleep onset temporarily as intense exercise would do.” Dr Singh therefore recommends that those facing difficulty with sleep should consider making adjustments to their sex schedule if they find sex before bed to be negatively impacting their slumber.
Men are more likely to fall asleep faster after having an orgasm compared to women
Dr Singh reveals: “The sleep-inducing effect after orgasm is more immediate and marked in men than in women due to a quick increase of prolactin within brain regions associated with relaxation activation. This helps explain why men often feel particularly sleepy after sex.
“With that said, women will not always feel an immediate sedative effect because their response is more complex. Even though oxytocin and prolactin also help women relax, the descent into sleep is generally a gradual process rather than the immediate sleepiness experienced by men. Also, their fluctuating hormones across the menstrual cycle will affect the sleep cycles, which can also affect the varying impact orgasm will have on sleep at different times.”
Sleeping next to a partner can also lower cortisol and raise oxytocin levels, contributing to a good night’s sleep
“Sleeping near each other provides a number of benefits, such as warmth, emotional security, and stress reduction. The presence of a loved one can lead to the relaxation of the sleeper’s state, lowering cortisol levels and raising oxytocin levels, thus fostering a sense of bond and relaxation. Together, these calming effects can lower anxiety, allowing a more easy transition into sleep as well as allowing sleep to be maintained.
“Disturbances from movements, snoring, or simply differences in temperature preference may cause sleep fragmentation, though. And depending on relationship maturity, subconscious tensions may surface while bed sharing, especially early on or if tensions are brewing. Striking a compromise through sleep hygiene adjustments such as bigger beds, separate blankets, or noise-cancellation solutions could alleviate adverse outcomes.”