How Lack Of Sleep Can Do Damage To Your Sex Life

It can be so frustrating trying to figure out why your sex drive has shifted into neutral without warning. And before your mind starts to spin with all the what-ifs, and you click "buy" on the latest toys and lingerie, the answer could be a lot simpler than you think. You were probably too busy yawning to notice it.

We are well aware that getting enough sleep is key to a healthy life. We just didn't realize how getting enough sleep was so important for a healthy sex life. Everyday Health shares research that shows the better you sleep, the better your sex life will be. The 2015 study supporting these findings found that catching just one hour of extra zzz's at night increases the chances that women will have sex with their partner by 14 percent. And it's not just the ladies who need their sleep in order to feel frisky. According to The Health Site, when a man is sleep-deprived, his testosterone levels can drop to as much as 70 percent, which can be the cause of erectile dysfunction or decreased sexual function.

It is widely known that a lack of sleep can worsen your mood. A bad mood is not the best ingredient used for initiating sex. A lack of sleep can also negatively affect hormone levels. David Kalmbach, a researcher at the University of Michigan's Sleep and Circadian Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor, tells Everyday Health that these hormone changes can lead to changes in desire and arousal.

So, we now know that getting enough sleep can lead to better and more sex, and luckily, there is also a flip-side. If you're having trouble getting to sleep, try having sex instead. The National Sleep Foundation explains that sex increases the "cuddle hormone" oxytocin and reduces the stress-related hormone cortisol. In short, more sleep can lead to more sex. And more sex can lead to more sleep. Do you know that popular phrase, the best things in life are free? Well, sleep and sex are definitely high on that list. We're just so happy they go hand-in-hand.