Association between sexual function in women and sleep quality

Abstract

Objective: To determine the relationship between sexual dysfunction and sleep disorders.

Methods: Observational study was conducted in 2021 and 2022 including 975 Spanish women over 18 years of age. The Women's Sexual Function Questionnaire (FSM-12) was used as a source of information, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to assess sleep quality. A bivariate and multivariate analysis was performed using binary logistic regression, adjusting for confounding variables. Crude (OR) and adjusted (aOR) odds ratios were estimated with their respective 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results: Around 29.2% (285) of the women presented some type of sexual dysfunction, and 73.4% (716) showed sleep disturbance with scores ≥5 on the PSQI scale. The mean score on the PSQI was 8.23 points (SD = 3.93). All the dimensions of the sexual function scale were statistically related to sleep disturbance (p ≤ 0.05), except for sexual activity and the reasons for sexual activity not having penetration. In the multivariable analysis, women with sexual dysfunction presented an aOR of sleep disturbance of 1.88 (95% CI: 1.29-2.76) compared to women without dysfunction.

Conclusion: Global sexual dysfunction and almost all the dimensions that make up sexual function are related to changes in sleep quality.

Keywords: PSQI; sexual function; sexuality (MeSH); sleep quality; women’s health.