Sleep schedules, sleepy teas, and calming music can all be natural ways to help you drift off to sleep, but what about an orgasm? What if we told you what you do under the sheets can lead to better sleep? Whether it’s partnered or solo as long as you reach the finishing mark a better night’s sleep can start.
People are often searching for a perfect relaxation fix before bed, sometimes unhealthy and unnatural, including drugs and alcohol. But this perfect feel-good cocktail of hormones released after an orgasm works together to reduce stress and send you dozing off.
So, what’s going on behind the scenes when things get heated? Is that post-orgasmic drowsiness more than a coincidence? Well, turns out, orgasms trigger a release of two main hormones, oxytocin, the love hormone and dopamine, the pleasure hormone, that influences the sleep-wake cycle and promotes relaxation. This mixture leaves you feeling content and euphoric. But it doesn’t stop there. You also release endorphins and neurotransmitters like serotonin, adrenaline and prolactin, all helping to regulate your mood and sleep quality, how well and how long you sleep.
To share the moment or not, that’s the question. Well, hormonally, it doesn’t really matter. Whether you’re flying solo or connecting with another, the same feel-good hormones are released. While biology says there’s no difference, chemistry may say otherwise. Feeling safe and secure with a partner can have its added benefits and elevate the release of endorphins, leaving you with a longer-lasting post-orgasmic glow, creating a safe, peaceful space. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter if you’re with a loved one or solo, your body can still deliver this sleep pill alternative feeling.
There are many differences between men and women, but not in this case. Dr Alison Maclean, expert in women’s health and gynaecology and a member of Between2Ovaries, says “The hormones are great for sleep, men release the same hormones from an orgasm, so technically neither should be more sleepy than the other after sex.
“But generally there’s this belief that men are more sleepy than women, so there could be other situational reasons that men are more sleepy.”
So what could these situational factors, well, to not avoid the huge elephant in the room, generally during heterosexual sex, women are less likely to orgasm than men, leaving the orgasm gap to blame for why your partner may lifelessly roll over after a good time.
How often is too often? This quick fix, sleeping pill alternative can leave people wanting more each night and, after a few tosses and turns, struggling to sleep, reaching into the bedside table for their hormonal fix. But can this become an addiction? Dr Maclean says, “Knowing that you’re sleepy after an orgasm and doing it every day is not an addiction. Like any addiction, if it’s negatively impacting your life, that’s an addiction; if it’s helping you, it’s not.
“There’s worse ways to fall asleep, I’d be worried if it was a bottle of wine or even a sleeping tablet, but this is quite a safe way of using the benefits to fall asleep.”
So, next time you’re counting sheep or sipping sleepy tea without much success, consider turning to your own natural sleep aid. Whether shared or solo, an orgasm might be the feel-good, side-effect-free solution your bedtime routine has been missing. Offering not just a restful night, but a healthier way to wind down, an orgasm may be your answer.
