Also the lowest score obtained among those with

Also, the lowest score obtained among those with any kind of sleep problems was related to sexual desire (Table 2). There was a significant relationship between all aspects of sexual function and the prevalent problems related to sleep (p<0.001). The mean score in all aspects of sexual function was significantly lower in the men with sleep disorders than that in those without sleep problems (p<0.001). There was also a significant relationship between all aspects of sexual function and some demographic characteristics like age, education level, chronic diseases, household income, and employment status; the older men, illiterate ones, those affected by chronic diseases, those with inadequate income, unemployed ones, and those who suffered from urinary incontinence had an inferior sexual function compared with the others (p<0.05) (Table 3).
Discussion The study conducted by Jankowski et al. aiming at examining the relationship between sexual disorders and sleep related disorders showed that there was a relationship between sleep disorders and decrease in sexual function [18], which is in line with the results of the present study. Many researchers believe that the people who do not have adequate sleep face any problems like inadequate erection for sexual relation [3,19]; in fact recovering sexual function after treating sleep problems can confirm this corticotropin releasing factor claim [13]. Nonetheless, the results of a study by Schiavi et al. investigating the relationship between sleep disorders and sexual function on 70 married men aged from 45 to 75 in America showed that there is not a significant relationship between sleep disorders and the decrease in sexual function [8]. It seems that the reason for this difference is taking sedative drugs to relieve sleep disorders [20] or the impressibility of sexual function by the culture and the demographic specifications of different societies. Some sources talk about the appearance of sleep disorders and fatigue and tiredness despite getting enough sleep associated with aging, and about the relationship between sleep disorders and decreased sexual function and its due complications [5,6,21] which is consistent with the results of the present study. Because of the reduction in leydig perfusion cells testis will have a problem, and response to sexual steroids decreases due to the change in the level of LH and some other hormones [22,23], hence some sexual disorders are more likely to appear with ageing among which lack of sexual desire, orgasm, erectile dysfunction and physical inability to have sex after the age of 50 can be mentioned [24]. The results of this study showed a significant relationship between suffering from chronic diseases (diabetes, hypertension, and heart diseases) and reduction in sexual function, which is consistent with the obtained results of the study by Kim et al. In 2523 men aged from 40 to 69 in Korea [25]. In the present study, 12.8% of the samples reported frequent nocturnal awakenings which had a significant inverse relationship with all aspects of sexual function. Suffering from cardiovascular disorders like impaired vasodilatation [22], blood vessels atherosclerosis, and diabetes can be associated with reduction in sexual function due to the inverse relation that they have with the testosterone level [5]. On the other hand, the amplitude and frequency of erection occur in 20–25% of the time of nocturnal sleep cycles, and taking hypertension-lowering drugs can disrupt the sleep pattern (due to frequent waking at night to urinate), decrease sexual desire and frequency of sexual activity, and can result in erectile dysfunction as well [3]. Wessells et al. Revealed in a review study that the employed people and those with higher income have better sexual function compared to others [26]. In another study, researchers, using BSFI questionnaire, examined the sexual function of 3500 men aged from 20 to 79, and they found that all aspects of sexual function significantly are influenced by educational level.