Let's talk about sex, baby, let's talk about sex and sleep. Hopefully you get the song reference, but if not, it's still important to recognize the link between sex and sleep. Specifically, how sex can impact sleep for men and women. Sex may not just be important for intimacy, but for improving sleep. This article will dive into how your sleep problems may be overcome with a little bit more passion.
Sleep differences between men and women.
The first thing to talk about before diving into sex and sleep, is how sleep affects both genders. Although there are not huge differences in sleep between men and women, there are a few which can impact sleep quality. It's important to understand these differences so you and your partner can better align your sleeping schedules. If one gets quality sleep, but the other does not, that can have profound effects on your sex life.
There is growing evidence that women get more sleep than men. This takes into account nighttime and daytime sleeping. However, women also experience more sleep disruptions and lower quality sleep than men. There are several factors that play into this role, some biological and some social. Socially, women may have more nighttime responsibilities with children and other responsibilities.
Biologically, hormones play a role in sleep differences. For example, throughout menstrual cycles, pregnancy and menopause, the fluctuation in hormones like estrogen cause significant effects on sleep. Most women in these different stages experience sleep disruptions, discomfort, temperature irregularity, and other factors that make for poor sleep.
Hormones aren't the only differences. During sleep cycles, there are three non-rapid eye movement (NREM) stages and one rapid eye movement (REM) stage. Stage 3 of the NREM sleep is deep sleep while the others are more superficial. Each cycle lasts anywhere from 70-120 mins and occurs 3-6 times a night. Women spend longer in stage three than stage one, which consists of lower brain activity and deeper breathing.
Circadian rhythms are also different between men and women. Circadian rhythms are the natural rhythms of our bodies that help us sleep at night and be awake during the day. Research has shown that women's circadian rhythms are slightly shorter than men's by a few minutes. Also, their timer is a little earlier meaning they have a tendency to fall asleep and wake earlier than men.
How sex impacts sleep
Now that we have a foundation for sleep differences, it's time to talk about how sex impacts sleep. Because sex is meant to be such an arousing experience, it may seem counterintuitive that it can actually benefit sleep efforts. Sex is arousing, however, the released hormones are very beneficial for sleep. One of these hormones is oxytocin, which is a hormone released during intimate activities. It stimulates feelings of closeness with your partner, but can also be very beneficial for inducing sleep. Sex also reduces cortisol, which is a stress hormone. These hormones are released following masturbation and sex with another partner.
Sex takes place in four stages for both men and women. The first stage is libido, or the desire for sex. The second stage is arousal where both the clitoris and penis are stimulated and blood flow increases. The third stage is orgasm, which is the climax. For men it accompanies ejaculation most of the time, and for women it is a contraction or congestion of vaginal muscles. The fourth stage is relaxation as both partners come down from the climax.
How sex impacts sleep for men and women
In women, sex boost estrogen levels which can improve stage 3 of their sleep cycle. This means that after sex, women can have great sleep quality. However, sex also has sleep inducing effects on men. There is even a popular French for how quickly men fall asleep after sex called le petit mort. In fact, the effect that oxytocin and prolactin have after sex may be greater on men, which explains the age-old adage of how quickly men fall asleep.
Sex may be the key to helping you and your partner have better sleep. But it is also important to understand that this is a two-way street. Sleep impacts sex quality as well. If you are having trouble sleeping and think it may be influencing your sex life, please take the online sleep test below.
[Sources]:
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-health/sex-sleep
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-is-sleep-different-for-men-and-women