Sex proved to be an effective way to fight insomnia
The recommendations regarding insomnia rarely mention this sleep aid. Sex or masturbation are a great way to help you slepp better and it is affordable for most people.
Orgasm increases the level of prolactin and oxytocin in the blood, while the level of cortisol, on the contrary, decreases. It makes sense that having more feel-good hormones and fewer stress hormones in your body will promote healthy sleep. But there is not so much information about the connection of intimacy and sleep because this topic is not widely spoken about.
Queen's University clinical psychologist Dr. Judith Davidson was surprised at the lack of quality research on intimacy and sleep when she wrote the 2nd edition of her self-help book for insomnia, "Sink into Sleep".
According to Davidson, she really doesn't understand why there is no scientific proof. Perhaps sleep and intimacy researchers have not gone far beyond their academic boundaries. This puzzled the psychologist.
Only one small study involving 10 people has investigated sleep after sex using polysomnography, the gold standard test for diagnosing sleep disorders, which measures brain waves, heart rate, and other metrics. A study published in 1985 showed that masturbation had little effect on sleep.
More recent studies show that intimacy can reduce stress as well as help people with insomnia fall asleep. Although the evidence base is small and some studies lack objective measurements, a 2016 review by researchers at the University of Ottawa concluded that sex is a potential alternative or adjuvant to other strategies for treating insomnia.
Many people come to this conclusion on their own. A 2019 study of 778 people led by Dr. Michelle Lastelle of the University of Central Queensland in Australia showed that both sexes feel they fall asleep faster and sleep better after sex or masturbation.
