In Bed

Sleepy after masturbation

Q: Sometimes, after I masturbate, I have a hard time waking up in the morning. It’s no small problem–sometimes I will sleep more than 12 hours, and wake up all groggy. I don’t know if this is natural, or if there is something wrong with me. What should I do?

Dr. Klein: For starters, look at the circumstances of the masturbation that cause this extra sleeping. Are you drinking or using drugs in conjunction with masturbation? Are you taking any medications? As the 12+ hour sleeping happens only sometimes, I suggest you keep a journal to help clarify the conditions under which the problem occurs. Monitor the extent to which you feel depressed after masturbating–do you feel lonely? Guilty? Hopeless? This could easily result in excessive sleeping. There is a neurochemical released after male orgasm that promotes sleep, which affects each man differently. You may be overproducing this chemical, although I’ve never hear of this before. To check on this, consult an Endocrinologist or Urologist.