Subjective sleep quality, unstimulated sexual arousal, and sexual frequency

Abstract

IntroductionREM sleep deprivation increases unstimulated erections in rats, and total sleep deprivation increases erections during audiovisual sexual stimulation in men, but the effects of sleep problems on human unstimulated sexual arousal are unknown.ObjectiveWe examined the associations of subjective sleep quality with unstimulated sexual arousal, satisfaction with sex life, and sexual frequency and desire over the past month.Methods275 Portuguese (169 women) reported their anxiety, sexual arousal and sexual desire during a resting state, and completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the sexual satisfaction subscale of the LiSat scale, the Desire dimensions of the Female Sexual Function Index (women only) and International Index of Erectile Function (men only). They additionally reported how many days in the past month they engaged in penile-vaginal intercourse, noncoital sex, and masturbation. Salivary testosterone (T) was assayed by luminescence immunoassays.ResultsPoorer sleep quality correlated with greater unstimulated sexual arousal in men with higher T levels and in women with higher T levels not taking oral contraceptives. In women with lower T, poorer subjective sleep quality correlated with greater sexual dissatisfaction. In both sexes, sleep quality was uncorrelated with sexual desire and sexual frequency over the past month.DiscussionConsistently with other studies in humans and animals, the findings are congruent with the notion that lack of sleep can increase sexual arousal, but not sexual frequency. T might play a role in the sexual arousal caused by lack of appropriate sleep.

Qualidade do sono e funcionamento sexual em adultos saudáveis

“…O stress e as exigências do trabalho fazem, também, com que os ritmos humanos sejam alterados, tendo consequências diretas nos sistemas orgânicos e no ciclo do sono-vigília, verificando-se também alterações físicas e psicológicas que, consequentemente, condicionam o funcionamento sexual. Os nossos resultados são congruentes com os de outras investigações que demonstram que a qualidade do sono interfere na saúde sexual 8,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26 pequenas e terem sido realizados com populações clínicas que apresentaram algum tipo de diagnóstico (por exemplo, diabetes ou depressão). Assim, o nosso estudo tem duas grandes contribuições: primeiro, apresenta uma dimensão amostral elevada, quando comparada com outros estudos, e, segundo, foi realizado na população normativa, sem doenças ou comorbilidades associadas.…”

Self-control, sleep disturbance, and the mediating role of occupational burnout in married couples

“…Although, in the current study the number of children per household did not significantly relate to husbands or wives sleep disturbance. Another potential phenomenon of importance in the context of couples’ sleep patterns is their sex life as sleep, sexual arousal (Costa, Costa, & Pestana, 2017), and desire for sex (Jankowski, Diaz-Morales, & Randler, 2014) are significantly associated. However, it appears little is known regarding the temporal nature of sexual activity and sleep patterns, and disentangling this complex relationship may be fruitful in further ameliorating the deleterious effects of poor sleep.…”

Healthy Sexuality

“…Rapid eye movement sleep (REM) deprivation increases unstimulated sexual arousal but does not have any effect on desire. Sleep deprivation can also have impact on endocrine factors [28].…”