Sex is an intensely physical activity. It takes energy to perform, and can also drain your body of nutrients.
Many men and women feel tired after sex. That sleepy feeling is caused by a cocktail of hormones that can make us drowsy.
You’ve probably seen the classic caricature of a man collapsing into pillows after ejaculation, while his partner sits up awake, twiddling her thumbs.
Physical Exhaustion
While everyone feels tired from time to time, unrelenting exhaustion can be a sign of a medical condition. For example, fatigue may indicate an underlying health problem, such as chronic fatigue syndrome or thyroid disorders. In addition, lack of regular exercise and poor diet can also lead to feelings of fatigue. A sedentary lifestyle and low kilojoule, high-stress diets can contribute to feeling exhausted.
If you’re experiencing physical exhaustion, it can manifest as achy muscles, a general sense of heaviness and a inability to concentrate. It can also impact the ability to nurture relationships. You might find that you’re more irritable or lose your temper easily, and you’re likely to feel like you don’t have the energy to take care of yourself or your relationships.
If you’re unable to reduce your feelings of exhaustion with proper sleep, healthy eating and regular exercise, it’s worth seeking medical advice from a healthcare or mental health professional. A doctor or therapist can help you find the underlying cause of your symptoms and offer solutions that will improve your quality of life. BetterHelp makes it easy to get matched with a therapist, and you can start therapy within 48 hours for free. Just answer a few questions about your needs and preferences, and we’ll match you with qualified therapists in your area.
Emotional Exhaustion
Emotional exhaustion results from accumulated stress over time and may be caused by personal or work-related issues. Symptoms of emotional exhaustion include feeling tired, irritable and anxious. The good news is that it can be relieved by eliminating the source of stress if possible and practicing certain techniques to reduce negative emotions like anger, anxiety, depression and feelings of being overwhelmed.
Sleep deprivation also contributes to emotional exhaustion. People with emotional exhaustion tend to experience difficulty falling and staying asleep at night, often waking up feeling tired in the morning. This is because high stress levels can trigger the release of cortisol, a hormone that suppresses the body’s ability to fall and stay asleep at night.
To prevent emotional exhaustion, try to maintain a regular sleep schedule and remove technology from your bedroom. This can help you feel more rested when you wake up and reduce the impact of stress on your mood and performance throughout the day. It is also helpful to exercise, as this releases endorphins and can alleviate stress.
Talking to a mental health provider can be an excellent way to treat emotional exhaustion and improve overall wellbeing. A therapist can help you work through negative thoughts and beliefs that are contributing to your emotional fatigue and provide guidance for coping strategies. Depending on your circumstances, they may also recommend medication like antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs or sleeping aids if needed.
Sleep Deprivation
The energy required to perform sexual activity can make some people feel exhausted afterwards. If you have sex at night, it can cut into the amount of sleep that you get, which can contribute to feelings of tiredness the next day. If you are feeling emotionally exhausted after sex, that can also affect how rested you feel.
If you are a woman, you may experience bloating and gas after sex, which can add to your feeling of fatigue. In addition, many women are prone to anaemia, which can also contribute to feelings of exhaustion after sex.
A man’s orgasm can drain him of energy as he expels the neurochemical prolactin into his environment (via LiveScience). In addition, men typically release oxytocin and melatonin during orgasm, which can make them sleepy.
If you are waking up feeling exhausted after sex, it could be because of sleep deprivation. Insufficient sleep can cause physical and mental fatigue, as well as reduce your ability to concentrate and learn new things. It can also disrupt how the brain sends information between nerve cells, which can affect your coordination and increase your risk for accidents. If you suffer from chronic insomnia, see a doctor to address the underlying causes. This could include a health condition, such as depression or anxiety, or prescription medications, such as sleeping pills.
Stress
In addition to the physical exertion of sexual activity, there is also a psychological component to why men feel exhausted after sex. Many men find sex to be a release from stress and they might want nothing more than to curl up in bed after a night of intense intimacy and pleasure. This is largely due to the hormones that are released during and after sexual activity, like oxytocin and endorphins. These hormones can cause feelings of relaxation and drowsiness.
It’s also not uncommon for women to feel tired after sex, particularly after orgasms. These are caused by the same hormones, as well as the release of prolactin which slows down the heart rate and respiration. Excessive orgasms can also make you feel fatigued if they happen too frequently because it doesn’t allow the body to recover between them.
Whether you’re feeling sleepy or exhausted after sex, it is important to recognize the symptoms and determine what is causing them. You may be able to make some changes to your lifestyle that can help you feel more energized after sex. For example, drinking too much alcohol can have a negative impact on your energy levels and you may feel exhausted the day after. Consuming foods that are rich in iron can also help increase your energy levels.