Late-night hookups are practically a cliché. Work is done, the day is winding down, and there’s one last activity many people save for right before sleep…
Nighttime sex can feel like the easiest option, and the darkness can make everything seem a bit more intimate. But according to one expert, late night may not be the most body-friendly window after all.
So if you’re someone who prefers getting busy earlier in the day, you might be onto something.
Psychologist Dr Michael Breus appeared on Steven Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO podcast to break down how hormone levels fluctuate throughout the day — and why the very end of the night isn’t the ideal moment.
Breus — often referred to as “the sleep doctor” — told listeners: “Here’s what’s interesting, your hormone profile doesn’t look too good for 11.30 at night for having sex. In order to have successful sex, you want to have estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, adrenaline and cortisol all to be high and melatonin to be low.”
He explained that as bedtime approaches, the body tends to move in the opposite direction: melatonin rises as you get sleepier, while the other hormones he listed drop.
He also pointed to the familiar phenomenon of men waking up with “morning wood,” suggesting it’s essentially biology’s way of nudging men to take advantage of that timing.
That may be a tough shift for many Americans, though. Research published in the National Library of Medicine found most sexual activity happened at bedtime — typically between 11pm and 1am.
When participants explained why, most pointed to practical reasons rather than preference — including work patterns, when their partner was available, and the fact they were already in bed.
Another 28% said nighttime simply makes them feel more sexual, especially when the lighting is naturally lower.
And for anyone who loves a precise “best time,” a separate survey adds even more detail: lingerie retailer Pour Moi questioned 2,000 sexually active adults and found 10.09pm on a Saturday was the top-rated moment, according to the New York Post.
Friday evening came in second, with Sunday and Thursday next — while earlier weekdays didn’t rank as highly for most people.
Consider it a reminder that what’s convenient isn’t always what the body would pick.