Having sex, an orgasm can help you fall asleep faster: study

June 22, 2023

Having the big O can help you catch some ZZZs.

Partnered sex that leads to orgasm cuts the time it takes for men and women to fall asleep by several minutes and improves sleep quality, according to findings published recently in the Journal of Sleep Research.

Sexual activity without orgasm and masturbation (with and without orgasm) were not associated with changes in sleep, the study found.

“The present studies confirm and significantly substantiate findings indicating that sexual activity and intimacy may improve sleep and overall well-being in both men and women and serve as a directive for future research,” the study authors wrote.

Scientists at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands had 256 male and female participants, mostly students, maintain a diary detailing their sleep and sexual activity for 14 days.

Having partnered sex that results in an orgasm before bed can help your quality of sleep, according to a new study.

The study was performed by researchers at The University of Groningen in The Netherlands. — The study was performed by researchers at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.

Researchers didn't seem to a notice a difference in sleep if you had an orgasm achieved by masturbation. — Scientists didn’t seem to a notice a difference in sleep if the orgasm was achieved by masturbation.

Alcohol consumption, menstruation, and “unusual events” that happened before bed were also taken into account.

The researchers found it took people who engaged in partnered sex and orgasmed an average of 16 minutes to fall asleep, compared with 17 minutes for those who had sex and didn’t orgasm and 20 minutes for those who didn’t have sex.

For those who masturbated, the average time to fall asleep was 26 minutes. That time was cut to 19 minutes if the person achieved orgasm. It was 20 minutes for those who didn’t masturbate.

People who had sex and an orgasm before bed reported having better sleep quality and fell asleep faster. — People who had sex and an orgasm before bed reported having better sleep quality and falling asleep faster.

"The present studies confirm and significantly substantiate findings indicating that sexual activity and intimacy may improve sleep and overall well-being in both men and women and serve as a directive for future research," the study read. — “The present studies confirm and significantly substantiate findings indicating that sexual activity and intimacy may improve sleep and overall well-being in both men and women and serve as a directive for future research,” the study read.

The scientists noted having an orgasm results in the release of oxytocin, nicknamed the “love hormone,” and prolactin, a hormone that causes breasts to develop, promotes milk production and affects sexual and reproductive health.

“The heightened effect of partnered sex may partly be explained by the increased neuroendocrine changes following intercourse-induced orgasm, in combination with the valuable effects of experiencing intimacy with one’s partner,” the study authors wrote.