Sleep apnea and sex

Studies have shown that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) increases risk of erectile dysfunction (ED), and treating OSA with CPAP can improve ED. And some of my patients with untreated OSA are just too tired to engage in sex. Finally, some of my patients are hesitant to start CPAP therapy because they worry it will interfere with their sex life. This is usually in my younger patients and some of it is a misunderstanding about when CPAP is worn. Some think it's supposed to be worn whenever they are in their bed, as opposed to just sleeping.

This article discusses research presented at a recent meeting. Researchers asked participants about their sexual quality of life. The participants all has OSA and were prescribed CPAP therapy. The researchers divided the participants into two groups - those that used the CPAP regularly and those that did not. Results showed no difference in sexual quality of life between the two groups. The conclusion was that CPAP did not interfere with the participants sexual satisfaction.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Linked To Sexual Dysfunction

Untreated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been linked to impotence in men and loss of libido in women. Many women report to me in my clinic that they are just too tired ot have sex. However, there are not many formal studies about women with OSA and sexual dysfunction. In the September edition of the Journal of Sexual Medicine, researchers studied the sexual functioning of women with OSA. They studied 80 female patients (28 to 64 years old) who were diagnosed with any severity of OSA after a sleep study. Sexual functioning was assessed with subjective questionnaires and the subjects' responses were compared to a population sample.

The results showed that females with OSA had a higher risk of sexual "distress" and sexual dysfunction. The sexual dysfunction was not related to OSA severity, meaning that even mild OSA can impact their sexual functioning. It's not clear whether treatment of their OSA improves sexual functioning. My clinical experience, however, is that women who report an improvement in sleep quality and daytime sleepiness with OSA treatment do report an improvement in sexual functioning.