More sleep, better sex

When you are not getting enough sleep, it affects all aspects of your health, including your sexual health. In fact, many patients who come in for sex therapy complain about being too tired or not having enough energy for sex. This is a common problem!

Studies have suggested that quantity and quality of sleep is linked to sexual desire and response. Feeling tired or not having enough energy can affect not only sexual desire and arousal, but our willingness to be sexual.

If you or your partner is too exhausted to enjoy having sex:

• Schedule sex. Though it may not sound appealing, this is often a great way to make sex a priority. Schedule it at a time that works for both of you where you are most likely to be available and engaged.
• Change up your schedule. Instead of having sex late at night, try doing it in the morning, or on a weekend afternoon.
• Reassess your schedule and commitments. Perhaps there is something that can be dropped from your weekly routine so that you can have more time for self-care.

There are several things you can do if you are not getting good sleep on a consistent basis. Many people talk to their doctors about medication to aid with sleep, but there are also medical sleep studies to assess if there is a medical explanation for poor sleep. There are also psychologists specializing in sleep medicine who can offer non-medical interventions to improve sleep. For sexual health concerns, seeing a therapist who specializes in sexual health can also be a great resource.