<\/div>\n
Related article<\/span> Sexsomnia: An embarrassing sleep disorder no one wants to talk about<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Women over 50 who slept fewer than seven to eight hours per night were less likely to report being sexually active than younger women, according to a 2017 Menopause Society study. It\u2019s a problem that worsens with age as sleep becomes more precious. In fact, women older than 70 who slept fewer than five hours a night were 30% less likely to be sexually active than women sleeping seven to eight hours, that study found. <\/p>\n
A 2021 analysis of studies found men who were sleep-deprived had lower testosterone levels, while another study found men with disturbed sleep had both lower testosterone levels and higher amounts of cortisol, the stress hormone.<\/s> <\/p>\n
When sleep becomes a priority, however, sex lives can improve. A 2015 study of sleep and sex in college students found each additional hour of sleep was correlated to an improved libido, greater vaginal lubrication and a 14% increase in having sex the next day. <\/p>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
Related article<\/span> What men can do to maintain a healthy sex life<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n But how we think of sex might require a change in perspective. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe also have to look at sex as less of a light switch that you turn on and off, and more as a dimmer that you really need to let simmer and then turn up to percolate sexual desire,\u201d Kerner said. \u201cIt requires an attitudinal shift. I think you have to show up prepared to simmer, then percolate and let desire emerge, as opposed to it just happening.\u201d <\/p>\n
Want more from your sex life? Get prepared to spice it up this year with a new perspective on sleep. <\/p>\n
We keep our bodies clean, washing skin and hair and brushing and flossing teeth. If we just rolled into and out of bed without doing any of those things at night and in the morning, we\u2019d soon be a mess. The same applies to sleep, experts say. <\/p>\n
Just as you choose your clothes or style your hair, you need to prepare your body and bedroom for good sleep. Keep the bedroom cool and dark without blue light distractions such as televisions and smartphones. Avoid eating or drinking about three hours before retiring \u2014 especially alcohol, which will wake you in the middle of the night once it metabolizes. Try soothing music, yoga or meditation or consider a warm bath or shower to relax. <\/p>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
Related article<\/span> Sexual desire dropped for many women after the pandemic hit. Here\u2019s what you can do<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n And most importantly, Zee said, plan to disengage your mind. <\/p>\n
\u201cStop the work and prepare for relaxation,\u201d Zee said. \u201cStop being engaged mentally about an hour before you go to bed so that you can be more relaxed and ready for sleep.\u201d <\/p>\n
You\u2019re also more likely to be relaxed enough for sex, which brings its own sleep benefits. <\/p>\n
\u201cSex is actually good for sleep,\u201d Kerner said. \u201cSex itself is a process of getting into a flow state, getting into our bodies and turning off our anxious minds. Orgasms release hormones and neurotransmitters that promote sleep, so good sex nurtures sleep.\u201d <\/p>\n
Sleep disorders can also interfere with sex, and millions of Americans have one or more, often undiagnosed. Obstructive sleep apnea \u2014 a potentially dangerous condition in which people stop breathing for 10 seconds or more at a time multiple times an hour \u2014 has been linked to erectile dysfunction in men and sexual disorders in women. <\/p>\n
While snoring is a common symptom of sleep apnea, so are night sweats, tooth grinding and morning headaches. All these can be warning signs that you should visit a sleep specialist. <\/p>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
Related article<\/span> Five weird signs of sleep apnea<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Insomnia, in which people wake during the night and have trouble getting back to sleep, is another sign of sleep apnea \u2014 as well as a sleep disorder on its own \u2014 and is linked to sexual issues in both men and women. <\/p>\n
Poor sleep also increases the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular problems in both sexes, limiting blood flow that may affect sexual function as well. <\/p>\n
Circadian rhythm sleep disorders, which present as an inability to sleep at the desired time to function optimally at work and school, can also wreak havoc with one\u2019s sex life. Shift workers, who split their days and nights or work entirely overnight, often experience chronic sexual dysfunction \u2014 and that applies to both men and women. <\/p>\n
Mismatched sleep chronotypes \u2014 such as one partner who is a night owl and stays up late while the other is an early bird who\u2019s in bed by 9 p.m. \u2014 can negatively affect a couple\u2019s sex life. Studies show that couples who go to bed and get up together report greater sexual satisfaction and better sleep quality. <\/p>\n
\u201cBe mindful of your partner\u2019s chronotype,\u201d Zee said, \u201cand if you aren\u2019t certain, there are chronotype questionnaires online that you both can take.\u201d <\/p>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
Related article<\/span> Bad habits of night owls may lead to type 2 diabetes, study says<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n While your sleep chronotype is genetically programmed, there are ways you can adjust to match your partner\u2019s preference. A night owl, for example, can turn off lights earlier to trigger the release of melatonin, nature\u2019s sleep hormone, and flood their eyes with early morning light to turn it off. <\/p>\n
Eating evening meals at an earlier time also sends a message to the body to adjust its internal rhythm, as does moving one\u2019s exercise routine to the morning or early afternoon. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think exercise is really good for both sleep and sex,\u201d Zee said. \u201cIt boosts muscle, limbers joints and can increase your libido.\u201d <\/p>\n
Good sleep and good sex take practice<\/h3>\n
All too often people expect to fall asleep when their head hits the pillow \u2014 or have their libido work at will \u2014 but that\u2019s a pipe dream, Kerner said. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really easy to develop bad sleep habits that can affect the quality of your sleep, and the same is true for sex,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of people think sex is spontaneous, sex is organic, sexual chemistry and sexual fireworks should just happen,\u201d Kerner said. \u201cAnd that\u2019s absolutely not true in long-term relationships. Good sex, just like good sleep, needs to be planned.\u201d <\/p>\n
Kerner often gives couples he works with homework assignments that he calls \u201cwillingness windows.\u201d <\/p>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
Related article<\/span> \u2018It just didn\u2019t enter my mind to initiate sex;\u2019 Low sex drive in men linked to chemical imbalance<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cI ask them to carve out a window of time to be willing to be sexual with each other. It doesn\u2019t have to result in sex. It can just be 15 minutes of kissing or fooling around, just trying to warm up and see where things go,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cAny sexual contact reminds you and your partner that sex is part of your life, and it\u2019s important. Any shared arousal, any flirtation, is a positive move toward future sexual events.\u201d <\/p>\n
Do you want to learn more about sleep? Sign up for our LBB Sleep newsletter for more ideas to get better sleep in 2025. If you need help setting and sustaining your goals, try these tips for building habits. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
This post appeared first on cnn.com<\/div>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Sex just isn\u2019t the same with your partner anymore. When you confide that sad reality to a friend, what\u2019s the first culprit you discuss? Overwork? Young children? Relationship problems, or even the worst-case scenario \u2014 an affair? You may want to start by looking at your sleep habits as a couple, said Dr. Phyllis Zee, <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2045,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2044","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tradinginsightsdaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2044","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tradinginsightsdaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tradinginsightsdaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tradinginsightsdaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tradinginsightsdaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2044"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tradinginsightsdaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2044\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tradinginsightsdaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2045"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tradinginsightsdaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2044"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tradinginsightsdaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2044"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tradinginsightsdaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2044"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}