Men who have poor sleep habits also tend to engage in riskier sexual behavior, according to new research.
Scientists from Hunter College at the City University of New York, Harvard Medical School, and the New York University School of Medicine collaborated on the study, in which 559 men who have sex with men (MSM) in Paris, France, were asked about 4 sleep factors (sleep quality, sleep duration, problems falling asleep, and problems staying awake during wake-time activities), as well as their habits regarding condom-less anal intercourse and the use of substances before or during sex.
The data showed all 4 sleep behaviors were associated with the risky sexual behavior, and poor sleep quality and problems falling asleep were associated with positively associated with using substances before or during sex.
Brett M. Millar, PhD, a research scientist at Hunter College, told MD Magazine the findings align with other research showing tiredness and lack of sleep are associated with lower activation in the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain associated with self-control capabilities.
