Poor sleep quality, not duration, can lead to female sexual dysfunction

The importance of getting a good night's sleep cannot be overstated. Lack of sleep can lead to a number of health problems and affect a woman's overall quality of life. A new study suggests that insufficient quality sleep also may lead to problems in the bedroom in the form of female sexual dysfunction. Study results are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS).

Both sleep and sexual function problems are common in women during midlife. More than 26% of midlife women experience significant sleep symptoms that meet the criteria for insomnia, and sleep problems are reported by nearly half of women during the menopause transition. Up to 43% of women report sexual problems during this same period in their lives.

Multiple studies have been conducted to determine whether there is any association between sleep and sexual function problems. However, most of the previous studies did not consistently evaluate sexual dysfunction with validated tools, nor did they define sexual dysfunction by the presence of sex problems associated with distress.

In this study involving more than 3,400 women (mean age, 53 y), researchers evaluated potential associations between sleep quality and duration and sexual function using validated tools after accounting for factors that may influence both outcomes. They concluded that poor sleep quality, but not sleep duration, was associated with greater odds of female sexual dysfunction. Good sleep quality, in contrast, was linked with sexual activity.

Understanding this association is valuable as clinicians seek to identify potential treatment options for women affected by sleep and sexual problems. Both of these common midlife issues have been determined to adversely affect a woman's quality of life.

Results are published in the article "Associations of sleep and female sexual function: good sleep quality matters."

"This study highlights an association between poor sleep quality and sexual dysfunction. These are two common issues for midlife women and asking about and addressing each may contribute to improved quality of life," says Dr. Stephanie Faubion, NAMS medical director and senior author of the study.