A close link between sleep disorders and erectile dysfunction has long been known , especially among men over the age of 50. Lack of hours of sleep or poor sleep quality, such as sleep interrupted by nocturnal awakenings, snoring or sleep apnea, are one of the causes of erection problems.

A recent study (1) also proved the opposite relationship: that is,  men with erectile deficit have a high probability of suffering from sleep disorders , even if they are not aware of it.

The presence of an erection problem is a signal that indicates the need to investigate the quality of sleep and the possible presence of problems in that area.

Sleep quality and erection problems, the causes

Traditional Chinese medicine explains the reason very simply. A man’s sexual energy is linked to the energy of the water element , and in particular to the Kidney meridian .

Among the various functions in the sense of TCM, the kidneys are the seat of vital energy. When the vital energy is low, due to illness or excessive fatigue, the energy of the kidneys is low and consequently so is the sexual energy. Poor sleep quality negatively impacts kidney energy and, consequently, sexual energy.

To explain this in more physiological terms, one has to go several thousand years back in time. At that time , sexual activity was not for recreational purposes, but was mainly related to procreation .

Nature has equipped us with mechanisms to encourage procreation at the most suitable times and avoid it when conditions are not ideal. Low energy levels indicate a less suitable time to procreate : for example they could mean that there was a period of famine, or of imminent dangers, or of migration for nomadic populations, all situations unsuitable to give resources to a new born.

For this reason, the body of a man who is in a situation of profound fatigue tries to discourage procreation by reducing sexual desire and / or avoiding having erections . It doesn’t matter if now sexual activity has even a recreational purpose: our physiology was formed with the goal of procreation and our organism works with those criteria.

A prolonged lack of sleep places the body in a state of profound fatigue and this is why it negatively affects the erection. The body does not have enough vigor to sustain sexual activity or to create the spermatozoa and seminal fluid that are released with ejaculation.

Not surprisingly, one of the most effective means to combat erectile dysfunction is to allow the body to recover energy . To have results, it is necessary on the one hand to improve sleep, for example by increasing the quality or quantity of sleep, and on the other hand, to reduce activities that require a large expenditure of energy, such as overloading with commitments or responsibilities.Sleep and erectile dysfunction: the opposite relationship

But there’s more: some people suffer from sleep disorders without realizing it . It is logical that those who go to bed in the evening and cannot fall asleep are obviously aware of their problem.

But those who suffer from sleep apnea almost never realize it . As well as those who have a fragmented sleep with many micro-awakenings during the night, they are often not aware of it. He does not realize that he sleeps badly and that this compromises the quality of life and the feeling of well-being during the day.

This is why it is particularly important to pay attention to the signs that may indicate the presence of a sleep disorder, and a recent study (1) showed that the onset of an erection problem is one of these signals .

The study examined a sample of men who went to the doctor for an erection problem: these men were tested to diagnose any sleep disorders and it was found that, proportionally, they suffered much more than to men without erectile dysfunction. And what’s even more interesting is that many of them weren’t aware of it.

What does all this mean? When a man begins to have difficulty getting an erection or maintaining it, he should do some tests about his sleep right away .

For example, he could do an exam called polysomnography which measures sleep parameters for a whole night, useful among other things to find out if you have sleep apnea. Or, at the very least, he should keep a sleep diary and analyze it with the help of a specialist.

Often the origin of erectile dysfunction arises precisely from there: from the insufficient quality of rest. By restoring a correct way of sleeping there are often benefits also with regard to erection.

By Tommy Serafini