How Poor Sleep Quality Affects Your Sex Life

It’s a well-known fact that lack of sleep can lead to lower levels of energy and an overall feeling of fatigue.  For those who suffer from long term sleep deprivation, this cycle is perpetual, and they never really do feel like they are performing at their best.  So, it should come as no surprise that sleep deprivation also prevents insomnia sufferers from performing at their best in bed.

Of course, part of the effect that lack of sleep has on a person’s sex life has to do with the overall poor demeanor that goes along with being completely exhausted virtually all of the time. People who suffer from chronic fatigue tend to be quarrelsome and irritable. Obviously, these are not the kind of personality traits that are going to set the mood for an evening of romance. That part of it is common sense, really.

For men, however, the answer becomes a bit more scientific.  In fact, research has shown that there is a very close relationship between the quality of a man’s sleep and testosterone levels.  It’s a bit of a circular pattern, though. While poor sleep has been proven to cause a decrease in this vital male sex hormone, studies also show that a man who has historically low testosterone levels will often suffer from lower sleep efficiency and a higher number of nocturnal awakenings. So, it’s hard to say which comes first, but we do know that the two issues are very closely intertwined, and the obvious result is lower male libido. (It’s also important to note that the same studies showed that older men or men who are overweight will be even more severely affected by both lower testosterone levels and poor sleep quality).

You don’t have to be a man to be affected by poor libido as a result of sleep deprivation, though. While the science behind it may be a bit different, woman may also suffer from low sex drive due to exhaustion.  For the female half of our species, however, it may also related to something a bit more emotional.  Insomnia (especially when it is related to snoring) is about more than just whether or not you are sleeping.  It also tends to have a profound effect on where, how, and when a person sleeps.  For the true insomniac, sleep at any time is a welcome change.  As a result, they will sometimes develop a sleep schedule that is the opposite of their partner’s.  In the case of chronic snoring, one partner will even sleep in an entirely different room.  Both of these scenarios create feelings of estrangement that are then manifested in the level of intimacy that you experience with your partner.

Whether you’ve hurt your partner’s feelings by choosing to sleep in the guest bedroom, you’re simply too grouchy to get close to, or your body chemistry is truly imbalanced due to lack of sleep, it’s a fact that your sex life will suffer as a result of your poor sleep habits. By taking action against the things that are preventing you from sleeping well, you’re giving yourself the opportunity to be a better lover to your partner and a chance to enjoy a generally better way of life.

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