Why Do Men Sleep After Sex?

One of the familiar complaints women have is that men often fall asleep right after sex. There are several factors that contribute to the desire for sleep following sexual intercourse, and it is certainly more powerful in men than it is in women.

First of all, sex usually takes place in the evening or at night when men are already tired to begin with. They’ve been at work all day, played with the kids in the afternoon, and are ready to have sex and then go to sleep. Sexual intercourse - whether it is overly active or not - will tire men out even further, so that when sex has ended, they are ready to pass out. Sex is also relaxing and soothing, which will add to the post-coital stupor they fall into.

Men also ejaculate at the climax of sex, which releases a surge of horomones that lead to sleepiness and relaxation. After sex, men typically are lethargic and completely relaxed, which will also induce sleep much faster than normal.

When men ejaculate, they have just experienced a high level of tension in the body - even if it is good tension. Afterward, they experience the release, and begin to fall down from that high level of tension. This makes most men physically exhausted.

Also, many men have learned through trial and error - or through reading magazine articles - that holding one’s breath prior to and during orgasm will highten the sensations caused by climax. Many men will hold their breath when they first start to feel the beginning of their orgasm. Holding the breath causes deprivation of oxygen to the brain, which causes sleepiness. Sometimes men feel so lethargic after holding their breath during sex that their fatigue might even extend into the next day.

Women, on the other hand, rarely fall asleep directly following sex because the female orgasm actually heightens awareness. Women are more likely to be more awake after sex than men, and may even desire a “second round” much faster than men would want to contemplate doing it again. This is part of the reason why women are the traditional cuddlers after sex; their minds are awake, and they want to talk or relax until they become sleepy enough to fall asleep.