Some sexual problems in older adults might be linked to poor sleep, according to recent research in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.
The type of sexual difficulty could be linked to gender, too, the study authors reported.
As people get older, both sexual and sleep problems become more frequent. The two issues also have some comorbidities in common, like depression and heart disease.
The effects of sleep on sexual function specifically in older adults has not been widely researched. The current study focused on sleep quality, sleep duration, and the effects of sleep on erectile function, arousal, and orgasm difficulties.
The study subjects included 2,568 men and 1,376 women age 50 and over who were living in the United Kingdom. All were participants in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), and they provided information on their sleep habits, sexual function, and medical history.
The following chart shows highlights of the study results:
| Men | Women | |
| Average age (years) | 64.3 | 60.7 |
| High sleep quality | 41.5% | 31.4% |
| Moderate sleep quality | 27.5% | 24.6% |
| Low sleep quality | 31.1% | 43.9% |
| Sleep 6-8 hours per night | 80.4% | 78.1% |
| Sleep more than 8 hours per night | 6.1% | 6.7% |
| Sleep less than 6 hours per night | 13.5% | 15.2% |
| Erection problems | 38.8% | N/A |
| Arousal problems | N/A | 32.0% |
| Orgasm difficulties | 15.2% | 27.1% |
Women who reported low or moderate sleep quality tended to have more arousal problems than those who rated their sleep quality as high. In addition, women with low quality sleep were more likely to have trouble with orgasms.
Men with moderate sleep quality were at higher risk for erection problems. Men’s orgasms did not appear to be affected by sleep quality.
There were no associations between sleep duration and women’s sexual function, but men who slept longer than 8 hours a night were more likely to have orgasm difficulties. Certain sleep problems that affect sexual function (e.g. sleep apnea) are more common in men than in women, the authors noted, and this might explain the difference.
It was unclear whether sleep problems caused sexual difficulties or vice versa. “For example, it may be that people are anxious about sexual problems, and this is causing the sleep problems.” The authors called for further research in this area.
They recommended that patients with sleep problems be screened for sexual dysfunction. Those with sexual problems should be asked about their sleep habits.
Resources
The Journal of Sexual Medicine
Smith, Lee, et al.
“Sleep Quality, Duration, and Associated Sexual Function at Older Age: Findings from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing”
(Full-text. Published online: February 14, 2019)
https://www.jsm.jsexmed.org/article/S1743-6095(19)30006-2/fulltext