Yes, Sleep Disorders May Be Causing Your ED

If you study the male sexual response, you might wonder just how guys get erections at all.

Conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, depression, obesity, anxiety and more can all impact erectile function.

Now, we can add another erection killer to this already long and annoying list: sleep disorders.

Counting sheep, losing sleep

The connection between quality sleep and overall health isn't a recent lightbulb moment. Sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnea, shift work disorder, restless leg syndrome and other nighttime disruptions can affect your physical and mental well-being in the light of day. Along with diet and exercise, sleep is known as "the third pillar of health."

Just one sleep disorder can complicate a whole host of physical problems. For example, sleep apnea is the repeated interruption of breathing during sleep. It contributes to fatigue, high blood pressure, stroke, heart issues, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, complications with medications and surgery, plus liver ailments, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Given the host of health conditions affected by sleep problems—not to mention your irritated bedmate—it should perhaps come as no surprise that erectile dysfunction (ED) makes the list as well.

How closely linked are ED and sleep disorders?

A 2016 study published in Sleep Medicine indicated a risk of ED for men who had been diagnosed with a sleep disorder and especially those who suffer from sleep apnea.

The research looked at the risk of ED in a group of 603 people with sleep apnea and more than 17,000 who had been diagnosed with another type of sleep disorder. After adjusting for age, sex and comorbidities, data from these groups was analyzed against a control cohort of more than 35,000 people who had no reported sleep issues.

The researchers found the men with sleep apnea were 9.5 times more likely to experience ED, while the men with other sleep disorders were nearly four times more likely to have ED than those in the control group. Perhaps even more surprising, the incidence of ED was even higher in younger men who had sleep apnea.

Why does sleep quality influence erection quality?

While the direct link between sleep disorders and ED isn't entirely clear, there are a few solid theories:

• Oxygen—Sleep apnea causes you to stop breathing several dozen times per night, and oxygen is a critical part of healthy erections. This nightly intermittent oxygen deprivation is also thought to contribute to high blood pressure, cardiovascular issues and other comorbidities that can intensify ED. When the brain senses a drop in oxygen levels, it releases the stress hormone cortisol to jolt you from sleep and get you breathing again. Night after night, this cycle strains your bodily functions, including erections.
• Testosterone—Sleep disorders may be linked to a reduction in much-needed testosterone. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that men with obstructive sleep apnea have lower testosterone levels at night, possibly due to sleep fragmentation and hypoxia, or oxygen deprivation. 
• Fatigue—Perhaps the simplest of all potential explanations for why sleep disorders cause ED is the fatigue and stress caused when you can never seem to get enough rest. A study published in Andrology in 2015 found that men who suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome were almost twice as likely to develop ED. 

Conclusions

Men with sleep disorders should take them seriously because disorders can point toward serious health problems. If you seek help for your sleep issues, you just might find that you get to the bottom of your ED, too. There's no need to sleep on it: Talking to your doctor about your sleep problems and ED is a win-win.