How Sleep Affects Erections and What to Do If You’re Not Getting Enough
The overlooked connection between rest, testosterone, and sexual performance
Most men think about diet, fitness, or stress when it comes to improving their erections, and all of those matter. But there’s one factor that often gets ignored, even though it plays a massive role in sexual health: sleep.
If you’ve been waking up groggy, struggling with energy, and noticing changes in your erections, it’s not just in your head. Your body needs proper rest to function well, including your hormones, circulation, and sexual response.
Let’s break down how sleep affects erections and what to do if your rest has been falling short.
The Link Between Sleep and Erections
Your body does a lot of important work while you sleep, especially during deep and REM sleep. This includes repairing cells, balancing hormones, and rebuilding energy systems. One of the key hormones affected by sleep is testosterone.
Testosterone plays a major role in:
Libido (sex drive)
Morning erections
Blood vessel function
Overall sexual performance
When you don’t get enough good-quality sleep, your testosterone levels start to drop. And when testosterone drops, erections usually follow.
Research shows that just one week of sleeping five hours a night can reduce testosterone levels by up to 15% in healthy young men. For men over 40, where testosterone is already declining naturally, poor sleep can have an even bigger impact.
Sleep Affects Blood Flow Too
It’s not just hormones. Sleep also helps regulate your nervous system and cardiovascular function, both essential for strong erections.
When you’re sleep-deprived:
Your blood vessels become stiffer
Your blood pressure rises
Your stress hormones stay elevated
All of these can restrict blood flow to the penis when you need it most.
What If You’re Not Sleeping Well?
If your sleep is short, broken, or restless, and your erections are weaker than they used to be, don’t ignore the connection. The fix might not be a pill. It might be a better night’s sleep.
Here are a few things that can help:
1. Stick to a regular sleep schedule
Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. This helps reset your body’s natural sleep rhythm.
2. Reduce screen time before bed
The blue light from phones and TVs suppresses melatonin, the hormone that helps you feel sleepy. Try switching off screens at least an hour before you go to bed.
3. Make your bedroom sleep-friendly
A quiet, dark room that’s slightly cool (around 18°C) helps your body fall into deeper sleep more easily.
4. Be mindful with caffeine and alcohol
Caffeine can stay in your system for several hours, and alcohol can disrupt your deep sleep even if it helps you fall asleep initially.
What About Sleep Apnoea?
If you snore heavily, wake up gasping, or still feel exhausted after a full night in bed, you might have sleep apnoea. This condition causes you to stop breathing briefly during the night and severely disrupts deep sleep.
Sleep apnoea is closely linked to erectile dysfunction, mainly because it lowers oxygen levels and affects testosterone production.
If this sounds familiar, speak to your GP or a sleep specialist. Treating sleep apnoea can have a huge impact on your energy, mood, and sexual health.
Final Thoughts
Sleep is not just rest. It’s the time your body repairs, recharges, and regulates the systems that support your erections.
If you’re not getting enough of it, your testosterone and blood flow will start to suffer. Over time, that can lead to weaker erections and lower libido.
At Men’s Room, we take a full-body approach to ED. That includes looking at lifestyle factors like sleep, alongside natural treatments such as shockwave therapy that improve blood flow without relying on pills.
Want to take back control of your erections?
Download our free ED Info Pack or book a free confidential call to talk though your options.