00:00Have you ever finished having sex and all you wanted to do was sleep?
00:04He's not the only one.
00:05But what happens in the body to cause that feeling of sleepiness?
00:08Is it hormones, physical exertion, or is there something else behind it?
00:11During sexual arousal, the body becomes activated.
00:14They increase heart rate, breathing, and muscle tension.
00:17During orgasm, the body experiences a moment of peak activation.
00:22accompanied by involuntary muscle contractions.
00:25Then comes the phase called resolution,
00:27in which the body gradually returns to its normal state
00:31And some people may experience relaxation, satisfaction, and tiredness.
00:35However, feeling relaxed does not necessarily mean that the body is ready to sleep.
00:40And what role do hormones play?
00:41According to Dr. Pablo André Rodríguez Camargo,
00:43Director of the Master's Program in Sexual and Reproductive Health at El Bosque University,
00:47Prolactin is one of the most studied substances after orgasm.
00:51Although prolactin levels may increase,
00:53That doesn't mean she's directly responsible for the sleep.
00:56Something similar happens with oxytocin,
00:58participates in the sexual response,
01:00although it is still unclear how much it contributes to subsequent drowsiness.
01:03Substances related to reward are also involved in the brain,
01:07pleasure and the regulation of sexual response,
01:10such as dopamine, which is related to motivation and reward.
01:13Endogenous opioids, such as beta-endorphin,
01:16linked to pleasure and serotonin,
01:17that are involved in processes of satiety and sexual inhibition.
01:20However, the subsequent dream cannot be attributed to just one of them.
01:23Can the physical exertion during sexual intercourse also contribute to tiredness?
01:27Yeah.
01:28According to the specialist,
01:29This may contribute because sexual activity involves muscle work
01:32and an increase in cardiovascular demand.
01:35The magnitude of the effort depends on the duration,
01:37the intensity and physical condition of the people.
01:39Not all sexual experiences involve the same physical burden.
01:43A study published in 2013
01:45He estimated an average expenditure of approximately 85 kilocalories.
01:48through a meeting in a group of young, healthy couples.
01:51But that figure cannot be applied to everyone.
01:54nor does it explain on its own why the dream occurs.
01:57So why do some people feel sleepy immediately and others don't?
02:00There is no single answer.
02:02One plausible explanation is that the subsequent relaxation
02:05It facilitates the manifestation of the dream that the person already had,
02:08especially if the encounter takes place at night
02:10or after a demanding day.
02:12But the investigation still does not allow us to determine
02:14how much each factor contributes to immediate drowsiness.
02:16Do men feel sleepier than women after sex?
02:19There is not enough evidence to confirm this as a general rule.
02:23Although there are differences in sexual response,
02:25such as the refractory period after orgasm,
02:28during which men are unable to achieve another orgasm immediately,
02:31Some women may respond to stimulation again.
02:34However, the refractory period describes the recovery of sexual response,
02:38not the need to sleep.
02:39When should I consult a specialist?
02:41A mild and transient feeling of tiredness
02:44may be part of the resolution phase.
02:45In other words, normal.
02:47The specialist says it's advisable to consult.
02:48when exhaustion is intense,
02:50It happens repeatedly, and it doesn't improve with rest.
02:52It affects daily activities
02:54or it also appears outside of a sexual context.
02:56In those cases, the assessment should consider usual sleep patterns,
02:59medications and other symptoms.
03:01Among the possible general causes of fatigue
03:03These include lack of sleep, anemia, and diabetes.
03:06and thyroid disorders.
03:08There is also a rare condition
03:11called post-orgasmic illness syndrome,
03:13described mainly in men.
03:15It can cause marked fatigue,
03:17difficulty concentrating
03:18and other symptoms that appear after orgasm
03:20and they last for several days.
03:21If the supposed tiredness is accompanied by oppressive chest pain,
03:25severe respiratory distress
03:27or loss of consciousness,
03:28requires urgent attention
03:29and should not be attributed simply to sexual exertion.
03:32If you want to know more about this type of content,
03:34Visit our Lifestyle section
03:35on the El Espectador website.
03:45Thank you.
03:45Thank you.
03:46Thank you.
03:47Thank you.
03:47Thank you.
03:47Thank you.
03:47Thank you.
03:47Thank you.
03:47Thank you.
03:47Thank you.
03:47Thank you.
03:47Thank you.
03:47Thank you.
03:48Thank you.
03:48Thank you.
