The effects of chronotype on sexual satisfaction and quality of life in couples

F. Ozdemiroglu

Department of Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, Psychiatry Izzet Baysal University, Bolu, Turkey. ozdemiroglufiliz@gmail.com

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• Psychiatry

OBJECTIVE: Physiological, psychological, and behavioral variables are under circadian regularity audit in humans. Chronotype describes an individual’s time preference regarding mental/physical endeavors and represents the circadian rhythm’s physiological expressions. This study aimed to investigate the effects of couples’ chronotypes on their sexual satisfaction and quality of life.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: 228 heterosexual Turkish adults (114 females and 114 males with a mean age of 35.57 years and a standard deviation of 6.95 years), recruited from the general population,  participated as 114 couples in this study. Demographic data were recorded. Chronotype assessment was made using the Morningness/Eveningness Questionaire. The quality of life (QOL) was scored using the World Health Organization-BREF scale. Sexual satisfaction was assessed using the Golombok-Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction (GRISS) and the New Sexual Satisfaction Scale (NSSS).

RESULTS: From morningness to intermediate and then to eveningness, the E-type females scored highest in the physical and psychological aspects of quality of life assessments. Regarding sexual satisfaction E-type females scored better than M-type and I-type females for most sub-scores and the overall score of GRISS. The couple/partner-centered sub-score and the overall NSSS score were highest in E-Type females. Chronotype similarity status affected QOL in females physically/psychologically, but not males. Sexual satisfaction was not significantly affected by couples’ chronotype similarity.

CONCLUSIONS: The individual’s chronotype is a significant factor affecting the quality of life in the female gender and sexual satisfaction in both genders. However, the chronotype similarity status of the couple does not substantially affect the couple’s quality of life and sexual satisfaction. We suggest that chronotype similarity is not essential for improving couples’ quality of life and sexual satisfaction.

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