Does Masturbating Help with Sleep
Sleep, we could probably all use more of it. Starting the day feeling tired and lethargic makes the struggle to get through the day even more strenuous and challenging.
It also causes more missteakes (just kidding, I know how to spill spell).
A 2019 study by the Rand Organization indicated that insufficient sleep was shown to have an estimated economic impact with losses in the hundreds of billions of dollars (USD) in Europe, North America and Australia combined (see map below). The study also indicated that the annual average loss in workplace productivity was around 45-54 days.
Estimated annual gross domestic product (GDP, in 2019 USD $bn and % GDP) loss associated with chronic insomnia-related reduced productivity for identified countries:
Source: Hafner, Marco, Robert J. Romanelli, Erez Yerushalmi, and Wendy M. Troxel, The societal and economic burden of insomnia in adults: An international study, RAND Corporation
So it's easy to see we need more sleep, but how do we get more? Or ensure that our sleep is sounder and uninterrupted? What can we do that would be safe, effective and have little to no side effects?
Well, you know what we are going to say, don’t you? Have you tried masturbating lately? Yes, we feel that masturbation and self-pleasure can serve as a natural sleep aid for those needing a few more hours a night.
There have been a few articles touting the benefits of sex or masturbation and its aid in getting a good night's rest. And, as a sex toy company, while we would love to say that masturbation definitely helps with sleep, some studies say otherwise. More research needs to be done before the whole world is convinced.
We know that won't stop you, though. So we'd like to present the benefits we have found, and others have concurred with, about some great positive effects that masturbation has on your sleep and your overall well-being. After all, along with a great sandwich, a good night’s sleep and a great masturbation session are most likely two of the most pleasurable experiences in life.
We know you've been up all night thinking about it, so we won't keep you in suspense. Let's get to the truth as to why we think masturbation is such a great natural sleep aid.
CONTENTS
Masturbation As A Sleep Aid
Source: Global Statistics courtesy of Statista
Unfortunately, while there are some good articles out there that discuss the benefits of masturbation before sleep, there are a few other studies that indicate that masturbation as a sleep aid is inconclusive and more research needs to be done on this correlation. If you're like us, we can't wait another 10-20 years for some new study to come out. So we're going to assume there's more good than bad that comes out of masturbation that can help with sleep.
Even the German health insurance company, Barmer, once touted the benefits of a good night's rest with the help of masturbation. Can we be that wrong? We think not.
Why Are Guys Sleepy After Sex?
So if some people are not convinced that having an orgasm does not make you sleepy, they why do guys fall asleep after sex?
Sometimes the hard questions need to be asked. Why do guys fall asleep after having an orgasm? Are they just tired? Is there something wrong with them? Are they “defective” (maybe)? Or do they just want to avoid a conversation afterwards?
It may have happened to you, after a wonderful session of sex, you inevitably come to the finale and feel that rush of pleasure. Upon which, you quickly fall asleep. Out like a light! Your partner, however, probably would have liked to talk, kiss and embrace for a few more minutes or so. You really would have liked to oblige, but you just could not keep your eyes open.
What happened? Why do guys often fall asleep after having ejaculated? It would seem like having an orgasm for males might be a great sleep aid because many of us seem to nod off after ejaculating (seriously ladies, it’s not your conversation we’re trying to avoid). Just read on to the next section to hear about some of the results and benefits of an orgasm and all the great hormones that come out to celebrate.
Why Masturbation Can Help with Sleep – The “Good Hormones”
Before we get to all the benefits of having an orgasm, let’s talk about one hormone that affects our sleep, cortisol.
One reason why we can't sleep is because of stress. That will keep you up all night. Worrying over a project due the next day, or anticipating some difficult task you need to do tomorrow with little margin for error, no amount of counting sheep will overcome your angst. We all know we could use a good night's rest to tackle the next day, but somehow we do just the opposite of this.
When you feel stressed, the body tends to release the hormone cortisol. It's part of our ancient fight-or-flight defense system that was meant to keep us on the alert for sabretooth tigers or some other predator. Small amounts are okay, but cortisol can also keep you up at night. On an even more alarming note, excess cortisol may also shrink your brain! Yes, excessive amounts of cortisol may cause brain cells to start dying. Chronic stress can also shrink the amygdala, the area of the brain responsible for processing emotions. And that can develop into depression and anxiety.
So now that we have addressed the "bad" hormone (it really isn't bad), let's talk about all the good hormones that masturbation releases that can reduce cortisol.
The Benefits of Orgasms - On the other hand, masturbation helps release a number of good hormones and chemicals that make you feel and possibly even perform better. Here are some of them:
- Dopamine: The “happiness hormone” that’s related to your brain’s reward system. As we’ve learned from previous TENGA blogs, dopamine is a hormone and a neurotransmitter that’s a part of your brain’s reward system. Dopamine is also associated with learning, memory, motor system function, as well as relaxation.
- Endorphins: Endorphins can be beneficial as a natural pain reliever, as well as being responsible for that sense of euphoria that thrill-seekers love to achieve.
- Oxytocin: Orgasms helps the body release oxytocin, known to lower cortisol levels and reduce harmful stress.
- Prolactin: A hormone that has been shown to have higher levels in the body during sleep. Prolactin levels apparently are higher during sleep, and animal tests showed that when they were injected with prolactin, they became tired right away. Perhaps men are sleepier after intercourse because of the release of prolactin. Coincidence? We think not.
So with all these good hormones that benefit your well-being being released through masturbation, we think it would definitely be great idea to incorporate a routine before bedtime.
Tips For Using Masturbation as A Sleep Aid (Masturbating Before Bed)
If you do have trouble sleeping, there are plenty of techniques you can do to get a good night’s rest. Most of them are creating the right environment for sleep and not necessarily directly related to making you feel sleepy. Of course there are medications that can do the job. Just be careful not to overdose, or be warned that you can also build a tolerance to drugs and then you will need to take larger and larger doses. This can lead to heavier side effects, or even addiction to the drug.
As you've read previously, we would suggest masturbation as one of the tools you can use to get a better night's rest. At least you will feel great before bedtime. Consider having a FLIP ZERO beside your bed, or if you are with your partner, perhaps an affordable and disposable option is our new TENGA UNI, which can be used for any gender.
Conclusion
Well, they seem happy! Wonder why?
At TENGA, we consider masturbation a natural, safe and most pleasurable way to relax and feel good. Many of us also believe it is a great starter for a good night's rest. The evidence may not be clear on whether it is a foolproof way to sleep, but what we do know is that it does release some very beneficial chemicals and hormones, leading to a relaxed condition, counteracting stress, suitable for sleep.
If masturbation is already part of your sleep routine, we applaud you. You knew all along that it works for you. We are so inspired by your wisdom, it has reminded us of a famous quote by Winston Churchill (probably taken way out of context), “Keep Calm and Carry On.” Sure, we are stretching things a bit, but we think it can apply here.
While we do not know what it will take to convince researchers that masturbation has a positive effect on sleep, we're just going to do what we do and enjoy!
Care to join us? Discover more tools to help you on the road to self-pleasure by checking out our TENGA Store.
Good night!
