Key to having good sex uncovered - and people don't believe how simple it is

01 October 2023 , 20:54

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The secret to better sex lies in the bedroom - but not in the way most people would think (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Many people often worry about their sexual performance, and while people may be right to claim the key to good sex is in the bedroom, it is not for the reason you might think.

Scientists have found that men who struggle with sleep and suffer from insomnia were a whopping 58 per cent more likely to suffer erectile dysfunction. This applied to both those who were receiving treatment for their restless nights as well as those who were not. The researchers believe that sleep disruption affects the system that produces hormones, including testosterone, called the endocrine system. The team, made up of researchers from the US and Italy, tracked more than a million men - of which 539,109 had an insomnia diagnosis.

Researchers looked at more than a million men, of which half reportedly were diagnosed with insomnia (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Of those, 356,575 of them had treatments such as benzodiazepines, a type of drug used to aid sleep. After factors like smoking, drinking and illnesses that can impact the chance of erectile dysfunction were accounted for, analysis showed men with insomnia had a higher risk of experiencing the embarrassing issue.

The study said that men with insomnia were "more commonly smokers" and had a higher number of visits to their doctors and more "comorbidities" than control participants. Researchers came to the conclusion that there was a "consistent association between insomnia and ED diagnosis".

The study went on to say: "Men with pharmacological insomnia treatment were more often prescribed treatments for ED (erectile dysfunction). These results suggest that insomnia treatment may exacerbate ED and require more treatment."

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More than half of men between the ages of 40 and 70 experience erectile dysfunction. While it may be a slightly embarrassing problem when trying to get 'in the mood', it can also be a symptom of more serious underlying health issues such as high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes.

Researchers found there was an association between insomnia and erectile dysfunction (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Erectile dysfunction affects 30 million men in America. Meanwhile, one in three adults worldwide experience insomnia - often caused by stress, medications, medical conditions or intake of caffeine, alcohol or nicotine.

Insomnia can have a whole host of detrimental impacts, including a higher risk of accidents due to slow reaction time and mental health disorders. Experts have given varying advice on how to help you nod off, from avoiding junk food, chocolate, cheese and ice cream to trying not to fill yourself up on curry before bed.

Bananas, cherries, tomatoes, walnuts, and oats have all been hailed by sleep experts as the best thing to snack on in the evening as they help sleep. Meanwhile, a sleep-savvy TikTok user has shared his secret to getting some good shut-eye recently.

He promoted using a World War II-era military sleep tactic. Sharing advice on how to drop off successfully he told viewers to "imagine a scanner going down your entire body, starting at the very top."

He went on to say: "Relax every muscle in your face first, including your cheeks and your tongue. Unclench your jaw and take slow, deep breaths."

He carried on, advising viewers to take deep breaths and to envision every single muscle in the body relaxing. Admitting he usually falls asleep before he gets to the point of relaxing his legs, he said: "Now that you've let go of tension in your body, it's time to do the same with your mind."

Fiona Leishman