Expert advises having sex in the morning

The best time of day to have sex may not be when most couples have sex, a health and sleep expert has revealed, saying biology, not romance, should be calling the shots.

Often referred to as the “Sleep Doctor,” clinical psychologist and sleep specialist Dr. Michael Breus believes it is best to have intimacy in the morning, as a result of how sleep patterns and hormones affect sexual performance, despite surveys revealing that the majority of couples have intimacy between 10.30pm and 11.30pm.

“The interesting thing is, your hormone profile doesn’t look good for having sex at 11.30 at night. To have successful sex, you want estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, adrenaline and cortisol to be high and melatonin to be low,” he explained to Steven Bartlett on the Diary of a CEO podcast.

Melatonin, the hormone that makes us sleepy, naturally rises late at night, which can reduce energy, arousal, and performance. This is where chronotype, your body’s natural rhythm for sleep and activity, comes into play, according to Dr Breus.

Your chronotype determines when you are most alert, energetic, and hormonally ready. And for most people, that window opens in the morning.

Dr Breus pointed out a biological clue hiding in plain sight.

He said: “If you’re having sex with someone who was biologically born male, what do most men wake up with in the morning? An erection. If that’s not Mother Nature telling you when to use that thing, I don’t know what is.”

Morning sex, he said, is compatible with highest testosterone levels, lower melatonin and better blood flow; all factors were linked to stronger performance and connectivity.

Supporting this, Dr Breus described survey data showing couples who had sex earlier in the day reported better experiences overall.

He said: “We found that when people had sex in the morning, they actually had more connection and performed better in sex.”

But there are some practical caveats. Dr Breus joked: “Do you need to brush your teeth and gargle a bit first? Yes, of course you do. Let’s be fair to your partner.”