In a survey of 53 people, 75% reported sleeping better after nighttime sex or orgasm, with or without a partner
Almost two-thirds of the 35 individuals who used sleep medications said sex and/or an orgasm helped them sleep as well as or better than popping a pill
Dr. Douglas Kirsch of Atrium Health in Charlotte, North Carolina, presented his findings at the annual SLEEP meeting
Let’s face it, no one is raw dogging sleep anymore. These days, a good night’s rest is often backed by melatonin, an Indica puff, some Ashwagandha gummies, a hefty prescription, the Calm app or some off-market horse tranquilizer. Blame it on the news, blame on doom scrolling, blame in on the 9-5 hamster wheel we call corporate America – whatever the cause, it’s our current reality. Deep sleep is hard to come by these days. That’s why here at PSYN, we’re offering up an alternative sleep tool to add to your arsenal: Sex.
According to a new survey, two-thirds of people who use sleep meds said they slept just as well or better after sex.
When asked, 75% of the 53 respondents revealed that they experienced improved sleep after engaging in nighttime sex or reaching orgasm, whether solo or with a partner. And almost two-thirds of the 35 individuals who used sleep medications confessed that sex and/or an orgasm helped them sleep as well as or better than popping a pill.
Dr. Douglas Kirsch of Atrium Health in Charlotte, North Carolina, presented his findings at the annual SLEEP meeting. He admits the study isn’t the pinnacle of scientific rigor. But in collaboration with co-researcher Dr. Seema Khosla of the North Dakota Center for Sleep, Kirsch says he aims to spark a conversation about the intriguing relationship between sex and sleep in the medical community.
"This is an aspect of sleep medicine that has not been well explored, and I am thefirst to admit that our findings raise a lot more questions than they answer," Kirsch told MedPage Today. "Our findings suggest that many people use sex to help them sleep better. That may not be all that surprising, or maybe it is."
The survey results align with science-backed observations. Studies show that after an orgasm the body releases hormones like oxytocin and prolactin that can induce a relaxed, euphoric state. Sex also reduces levels of cortisol, making us chill out. These hormonal changes are proven to cause drowsiness and make it easier to fall asleep.
Regardless of the science, 27% of respondents claimed to never use sex or orgasm to improve sleep. Meanwhile 16% use orgasms to fall asleep monthly, 33% weekly and 24% multiple times a week. Kirsch said there were no significant differences in responses between males and females. However, he emphasized that the positive association between sex and sleep discovered in this small survey might not apply universally, especially for individuals who have endured sexual trauma.
"This isn't one-size-fits-all, and while sex may promote sleep for some it may do the opposite for others," he said. "We need to do the research to better understand this."
While we wait for scientists to wake up and finally begin studying all the yummy benefits of sex, we here at PSYN will take the liberty of going ahead and prescribing you this sexy sleep aide.
We advise you “take it” every night, doctor’s orders. (Don’t worry, you can slap on that mouth tape right after your body gets flushed with prolactin and oxytocin.)
Happy snoozing, PSYN Coven!