THE DIVA : Going to bed early boosts your sex drive

What you need to know:

  • While fatigue seriously reduces your sex drive. Regularly miss out on your sleep, and you’ll also be more stressed. And that reduces your sex drive further still.

Almost everyone gets too little sleep these days. And that does far more than just leaving you feeling tired and irritable at work.

Because couples who get enough sleep have more sex! For example, one study found that women who get as little as one extra hour’s sleep are 14 per cent more likely to have sex the next day.

It’s not just about how long you slept last night, of course, but how well you sleep in general. Because when you’re well rested you’re more aroused, energetic and focused. Which means more fun in bed with your partner.

While fatigue seriously reduces your sex drive. Regularly miss out on your sleep, and you’ll also be more stressed. And that reduces your sex drive further still.

Sleep loss also lowers testosterone levels, which reduces the sex drive of both men and women.

While good sleep improves your mood and helps you cope with daily hassles. So you’ll be happier, more relaxed – and much more likely to feel sexy.

Sleeping well also helps you to be more attentive, responsive, and attuned to your partner’s needs.

So make sure your bedroom’s comfortable, and stop all that late night drinking! Because alcohol disturbs your sleep pattern. Try a few booze free nights, and you’ll soon notice you’re sleeping much better.

Try to reduce the noise levels in your bedroom, get the lighting and temperature right, and resist the temptation to watch TV and check your social media in bed – or argue with your spouse! Avoid big meals, exercise, nicotine or caffeine late in the evening. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Have a shared bedtime routine with your spouse – including weekends – and go to bed a whole lot earlier. And you’ll soon find that the two of you are making love far more often.

Working on your bedtime routine won’t just improve your sex life. Because emotionally and physically intimate married couples are the happiest group in society. While childless singles in their 40s are the least. Mostly that’s because they have less social support, less satisfying sex lives, and usually have simply awful sleep patterns!

Good sex becomes especially important as you get older. Because it goes on improving your emotional and physical health all your life. Like you’ll have a better memory, because lots of good sex improves the areas of the brain that control your emotions and memory.

Older couples who have regular sex are less likely to feel depressed –and look five to seven years younger than those who don’t! Because good sex releases hormones that make the skin more elastic and youthful – so long as it’s loving.

Casual sex doesn’t produce nearly the same benefits, probably because of all the anxiety and insecurity.

Having sex at least once a week also boosts your body’s first line defences against colds and flu. And reduces the risk of a heart attack or stroke.

So start going to bed earlier!