Others may have psychiatric or medical problems that interfere with their ability to sleep well and perform well sexually. For example, symptoms of depression and anxiety can include both insomnia and a diminished sex drive. And many antidepressants, which can sometimes cause erectile dysfunction and/or a loss of libido, further complicate matters.
The medical condition most commonly associated with problems with sleep and sex is sleep apnea, in which the airway is closed when someone is snoring. People with sleep apnea may wake up as many as 400 times a night in order to breathe again, and this can cause severe daytime sleepiness, and irritability. According to Ware, men with sleep apnea tend to have lower levels of testosterone, which can lower libido.
Other medical conditions that affect sleep and sex include diabetes, lung conditions and heart disease. And as with depression, some medications that treat these conditions don’t help one’s sex life. For example, medications for high blood pressure may cause erectile dysfunction in men by inhibiting blood flow to the penis.
As Ware explains, "Sometimes the complexity of the interaction among the medication, the disease and the disturbed sleep can all gang up on a patient."
If you think your lackluster sex life is due to poor sleep, try to figure out why you’re sleepy, and seek the help of your physician if necessary.
Improving your sleep behaviors, which are known as sleep hygiene, may also help. Good sleep hygiene involves practices such as going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day. Regular exercise and limiting sleep-disturbing substances such as caffeine, alcohol and nicotine can also make it easier to get some sleep—and hopefully some sex.
