Individuals who engage in self-pleasure before sleep are more likely to report falling asleep faster, enjoying better sleep quality, and waking up in a more positive mood. They also tend to have erotic dreams slightly more often. These findings come from Australian researchers, whose study was published in the journal Sexuality & Culture (S&C).
Scientists at Central Queensland University sought to examine masturbation more broadly, not just as a physical act but also as an emotional and sensory experience. In this study, the term encompassed not only genital stimulation but also sexual fantasies, reading romantic literature, watching erotic content, and other forms of intimate interaction with one’s own body.
The survey involved 301 adult volunteers aged 18 to 72. Participants were asked to compare their sleep on nights when they engaged in self-pleasure before bed with nights when they did not. The results showed that after such evening rituals, people rated their sleep quality higher subjectively. Additionally, they reported sleeping for slightly longer periods.
The most notable difference was in time to fall asleep. On average, participants believed they fell asleep about nine minutes faster on evenings when they practiced self-pleasure before sleep.
The researchers also assessed the volunteers’ emotional state using a specialized psychological scale that measures levels of positive emotions and alertness. It turned out that immediately after self-pleasure, participants’ moods improved noticeably. This effect lasted until the moment of falling asleep and was still evident upon waking the next morning.
At the same time, the body’s level of physiological arousal decreased. Before sleep, participants reported significant relaxation, which may facilitate an easier transition to rest.
Separately, the scientists explored the link between evening habits and dream content. The analysis revealed a weak but statistically significant connection between the frequency of self-pleasure and the occurrence of erotic dreams. Moreover, this link became slightly stronger when the practice occurred immediately before going to sleep.
The authors explain this result using the so-called continuity hypothesis of dreaming. According to this theory, events and experiences from waking life partially transfer into dream content, helping the brain process emotional experiences.
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