Does Having Sex Affect Your Sleep?

Lots of factors can affect the quality of your sleep. If you're having trouble sleeping, one tip is to only use your bed for sleep and sex, according to Healthline. Don't do anything else on your bed, including reading, watching TV, using your phone, or working. This allows your brain to create a strong association between the bed and sleeping. But is there a link between sex and sleep?

For many people, sexual satisfaction is an important part of a good quality of life, to the point where some reports indicate that sexual health should be a routine part of patient assessments. When it comes to the relationship between sleep and sex, it appears that the two have a strong relationship in which a healthy sex life improves sleep and vice versa. Sleep deprivation is associated with a woman losing her sex drive, which means that insomnia may cause sexual dysfunction. For men, insufficient sleep has been linked to erectile dysfunction, explains the Sleep Foundation. Sex and sleep are closely tied together.

While sex itself provides many health benefits, one of the best ways to get a good night's sleep is to have sex, and preferably have an orgasm in the process. Sexual activity reduces a person's level of cortisol, also known as the stress hormone, according to the Sleep Foundation. After climaxing, the body also releases two hormones called oxytocin and prolactin, both of which create feelings of satisfaction. This combination can make people feel tired and ready to go to bed.

This doesn't just happen with a partner, either. Going solo can produce similar hormonal responses as having an orgasm with a partner, according to Sleep.org. However, a minority of people may feel the opposite, reporting that orgasms actually make them more awake and that they experience worse sleep after sex or orgasms. Keep an eye on how your body feels after an orgasm and determine whether it helps you to fall asleep.