What Is the Connection Between Sleep and Sex?

You have probably already noticed that sex and sleep go hand-in-hand. Sleep affects all parts of a person’s health and daily life, including sex and intimacy.

Unfortunately, a sleep disorder can take a toll on a person’s sexuality in many different ways. While it can be hard to talk to your doctor about sex, these difficulties can lead to lower quality of life if left untreated. The good news is that treating one area of your sleep or sexual health tends to improve another.

Common sexual issues tied to sleep disorders

Sleep disorders often keep bed partners up at night due to snoring, kicking, or getting up throughout the night. This can lead to bad moods in both partners, which rarely leads to pleasure or cuddling. Other problems with sex and intimacy that are common in people with sleep disorders include:^1-4

• Feeling tired, whether from insomnia, restless legs, sleep apnea, or narcolepsy, often creates lower sexual desire.
• Men with sleep apnea often also have erectile dysfunction (ED), especially if the sleep apnea is severe.
• Men with insomnia are more likely to have lower testosterone levels, along with more heart disease, diabetes, and depression, which are all risk factors for sexual dysfunction.
• Women are more likely to have insomnia and restless legs syndrome and being too tired is the top reason women give for lack of interest in sex.
• Both men and women with narcolepsy may have cataplexy during sex or orgasm.
• Anxiety and depression are side effects of insomnia, and lack of sleep is known to cause sexual dysfunction.
• Women are more likely to have insomnia, restless legs syndrome, and sleep apnea during pregnancy, which can add to fatigue that gets in the way of pleasure.

Some people worry that their treatment for a sleep disorder will turn off their partner. For example, men or women might be self-conscious about using their continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. A partner who reassures them that the machine is sexier than snoring and choking can help. Plus, several studies show that using a CPAP machine consistently improves sexual performance.²

How are sex and sleep connected?

Intimacy releases feel-good hormones called endorphins. These hormones help you relax and release stress and anxiety. Some studies show that orgasm in women increases estrogen, which improves deep sleep, and in men increases prolactin which results in sleepiness.⁴

Research shows that more sleep can lead to more desire. A University of Michigan study found that the longer and better a woman slept, the more interested they were in sex the next day.⁵

Sleep disorders, birth control, and pregnancy

Many of the drugs used to treat sleep disorders may make birth control pills, injections, implants, patches, and rings less reliable. Modafinil (brand name Provigil) and armodafinil (Nuvigil), used to treat narcolepsy and sleep apnea, are just 2 drugs known to make hormonal birth control less effective.^6,7

It is not known whether it is safe to take melatonin with birth control pills.⁸

Women with narcolepsy who are pregnant will probably want to avoid stimulants and many other drugs used to control narcolepsy. There have been no studies in humans to confirm that narcolepsy drugs are safe during pregnancy. That is why many doctors avoid continuing narcolepsy drugs when a woman is trying to conceive, during pregnancy, and while breastfeeding.^9,10