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Judith Davidson, a Canadian scientist and physician, says that due to deficiencies in available methods and doubts about ethics, we lack research to explain how sex affects sleep.
Davidson says that several of his patients say that sex, both in pairs and alone, helps them fall asleep and reduces the number of awakenings during the night. Also, what we know about sex and sleep suggests that advice.
During orgasm, oxytocin and prolactin are released, and stress and anxiety are reduced as hydrocortisone levels drop. In other words, the person relaxes. Available data and human experience suggest that sex helps you fall asleep. Is that why doctors don’t recommend it?
Because there is a lack of research. Only up to a point. A study published in 1985 showed that masturbation had no effect on sleep, but that study had very limited experiments with just 10 participants. Also, the methods used really distracted sleep: the anal thermometers were removed just before offering people to try to fall asleep.
According to Davidson, this research is very complex in terms of methodology and ethics. Can scientists be in the room when participants have sex? Won’t its presence harm the test results? It is necessary to take blood samples, how to do it without distracting people? In addition, scientists themselves are reluctant to participate in such research, as it may be accompanied by a change in reputation (“Here is the scientist who watches people in love and sleeping”), especially if the experiments are unsuccessful.
Still, a survey of 778 people in 2019 found that both men and women believe they fall asleep faster and sleep better after sex. This is a survey only and no measurable data has been collected. And they should be able to find out not only whether sex helps, but also the mechanism of this phenomenon.
Perhaps times will change and ethical barriers will be overcome. In addition, a non-invasive research methodology can be used; In theory, research participants could participate in the experiment even at home. But until now, doctors can’t recommend a free, harmless, and enjoyable way to improve your sleep. On the other hand, his closed-door experiments are still valuable, even if they are not written in scientific journals; you can at least try to sleep better.
You can read more about the study HERE.
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