Sleep-disordered breathing & intimacy

Obstructive sleep apnea affects more than 12 million people nationwide. Daytime sleepiness and weight gain are usually the first symptoms that come to mind. Intimacy problems are an oft-overlooked aspect of untreated sleep-disordered breathing. Sleep apnea can cause erectile dysfunction in men and a loss of libido in women.

A recent study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine looked at the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in women with sleep apnea. A sample of 80 women diagnosed with sleep apnea and 240 women without the disorder completed questionnaires about sexuality. Findings show female patients with sleep apnea had much higher rates of sexual problems.

A similar study conducted in 2009 used questionnaires to examine the prevalence of erectile dysfunction and sexual problems in men with sleep apnea. Almost 70 percent of men diagnosed with sleep apnea had erectile dysfunction, compared to 34 percent without the sleep disorder.

Sexual dysfunction may be linked to sex hormones such as testosterone. These hormones rise with sleep and drop when sleep duration or quality is insufficient. Brief wakings from sleep apnea secretly wreak havoc on your sleep quality, which can lower hormone levels.

Before you turn to that ubiquitous little blue triangle for help, find out if sleep apnea is causing your sex problems. The easiest way to know for sure is by getting an overnight sleep study at an AASM-Accredited Member Sleep Center. Common treatments for sleep apnea such as CPAP or oral appliance therapy can improve your sleep quality and intimacy so you won’t need to take a pill every time you want to be intimate.

Improve your sex life with CPAP

The answer for some men’s sex woes may not be that oft-advertised little blue pill. A new study shows CPAP can dramatically improve sexual function for obstructive sleep apnea patients.

Patients with the most severe cases of sleep apnea reported the largest improvement in sexual relationship after three months of CPAP treatment. Those with fewer apneic episodes still saw a noticeable difference.

Past research shows loss of interest in sex is directly tied with the number of apneic events. Men with obstructive sleep apnea generally have poorer intimate and sexual relations. Its estimated 30 to 60 percent of men with sleep apnea have some degree of erectile dysfunction.

A group of 123 men from sleep disorder centers were screened for sleep disorders and sexual dysfunction before beginning CPAP therapy. The participants were primarily middle-aged obese white men with severe forms of sleep apnea.

Each completed the Multiple Sleep Latency Test, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and the Intimate and Sexual Relationships subscale of the Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire.

Patients returned to the clinic and underwent the same tests three months after starting treatment.

CPAP therapy is the most common treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. An oral appliance is also effective for treating mild to moderate cases. The AASM recommends dietary weight loss for people are obese and have sleep apnea.

Get help for sleep apnea at an AASM-accredited sleep center near you.