Does Masturbating Help with Sleep?
Sleep, we could all probably use a lot more of it. Starting the day after a night's rest, still feeling tired and lethargic can make the struggle to get through the whole day even more daunting.
It can also cause more missteakes (only kidding, I know how to spill).
A 2019 study conducted by the Rand Organization suggests that insufficient sleep has shown to have a large economic impact, with losses in the hundreds of billions of dollars ($) in Europe, North America and Australia combined (see below). The study also indicated that the annual average loss in workplace productivity (in days) was approximately 45-54 days of lost time.
Pictured: 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
It is easy to say that we need more sleep, but how can we get more? Or, for that matter, ensure that we sleep soundly and less uninterrupted? What can we do that would be safe, effective and have no harmful side effects?
Well, you probably know what we are going to say, right? Tried masturbating lately? Masturbation and self-pleasure can serve as natural sleep aids for people needing a few more hours of rest a night.
There have been a few articles written about the benefits of sex or masturbation and its usefulness in getting a good night's rest. We've also written about all the beneficial chemicals and hormones that masturbation can produce in the body. And, as an adult toy company, while we would love to say that masturbation definitely helps with sleep, there may be a few studies that say otherwise. It’s true, more research needs to be done before the whole world can be convinced.
But we know that won't stop you, though. So we'd like to present to you the benefits we have found, and many others have agreed, about the positive effects that masturbation has on sleep and overall well-being. After all, along with a delicious sandwich, a good night’s sleep and a stimulating masturbation session are most likely two of the most pleasurable experiences you’ll experience in life.
You 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 a great natural sleep aid.
CONTENTS
Masturbation As A Sleep Aid
Source: Global Statistics courtesy of Statista
While there are some good articles out there that discuss the benefits of masturbation before sleeping, there are some studies that indicate that masturbation as a sleep aid is inconclusive and more research is needed. But like us, if you can't wait another 10-20 years for a new study to come out, we're going to assume there's plenty more good than bad that comes out of masturbation to aid in sleep.
Take the German health insurance company, Barmer, that once touted the benefits of a good night's rest with the help of masturbation. Can we be that wrong? Nah, we’re good with it.
Why Are Guys Sleepy After Sex?
If some people are not convinced that having an orgasm does not make you sleepy, then why do a lot of guys fall asleep after sex?
Sometimes the hard questions need to be asked. Why do guys fall asleep after having an orgasm? Are men just tired? Is there something wrong with them? Are they just “defective” (well, maybe)? Or do they just want to avoid talking afterwards?
Perhaps this may have happened to you, after a passionate session of sex, you come to a pleasant finale and feel that rush of pleasure. Upon which, you quickly fall asleep. You’re out like a light! Your partner probably would have liked to talk, kiss, or embrace a little longer. You really would have liked to, but you just couldn’t keep your eyes open.
What happened? Why do guys fall asleep after having ejaculated? It would seem like having an orgasm for males might serve as a great sleep aid because many of us seem to doze 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”
So 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 have trouble sleeping is because of stress. Stress can keep you up all night. Worrying over a project that’s due the next day, or anticipating some difficult task you need to do tomorrow that’s critically important, no amount of counting sheep will overcome your anxiety. We all know we could use a good night's rest to tackle the next day, but somehow just the opposite happens.
When you feel stressed, the body releases the hormone cortisol. It's all part of our ancient fight-or-flight defense system that was meant to keep us alive and safe from sabretooth tigers or some other predator. Experiencing small amounts is okay, but cortisol can also keep you up at night. Even more alarming is that 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.
Now that we have talked about the "bad" hormone (it really isn't bad), let's talk about all the good hormones that masturbation releases that can reduce cortisol.
Orgasm Benefits - On the other hand, masturbation helps release a number of good hormones and chemicals that make you feel and even perform better. Here’s a short list:
- Dopamine: This is the “happiness hormone” that’s related to your brain’s reward system. As we’ve read 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 are beneficial as a natural pain reliever, as well as being responsible for providing a sense of euphoria that thrill-seekers love to feel.
- Oxytocin: Orgasms help the body release oxytocin, known to lower cortisol and reduce harmful stress levels.
- Prolactin: This hormone that has shown to have higher levels in the body during sleep. Prolactin levels apparently are higher during sleep, and animal tests have shown that when they were injected with prolactin, they became tired almost immediately. Perhaps men are sleepier after intercourse because of the release of prolactin. Coincidence? We think not!
So with all these great hormones that benefit your well-being being released through masturbation, we think it would definitely be a great idea to start 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 available to you to get a good night’s rest. A lot of them involve creating the right environment for sleep and not necessarily directly related to making you feel sleepy. Of course, there is the option of taking medications to help do the job. Just be careful not to overdose, or be aware 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 we have mentioned previously, we would suggest masturbation as one of the tools you can use to get a better night's rest. And you’ll feel great before bedtime. Consider having a male sex toy handy next to your bed. Or if you are with your partner, perhaps sharing an affordable and disposable option, like the TENGA UNI, which can be used for any gender.
Conclusion
Well, they seem happy! We think you know why!
At TENGA, we consider masturbation a natural, safe and very pleasant way to relax and feel good. Many of us also believe it is a great gateway to a good night's rest. Although the evidence may not be clear yet on whether it is a foolproof way to sleep. What we do know is that it does release some very beneficial chemicals and hormones, leading to a relaxed state, counteracting stress, suitable for sleep.
If you already incorporate masturbation as part of your sleep routine, congratulations. You knew all along, didn’t you? Your wisdom reminds us of a famous quote by Winston Churchill (probably taken way out of context), “Keep Calm and Carry On.” Sure, we’re stretching things a bit, but we think it applies here.
While we do not know what it will take to convince researchers that masturbation has a positive benefit on sleep, we're just going to do what we do and enjoy every single second of it!
Why not join us? Discover more tools to help you on your road to self-pleasure by checking out some of the male sex toys we offer.
Goodnight to all and sweet dreams!
