5 Things that Ruin Your Sex Life and Your Sleep

Want both, a great sex life and to sleep, longer, deeper, better? Then kick these disruptive sleeping partners out of bed.

1 - The baby

Such a small person, such a loud "waaah." Under-fives drain you of your energy, kill desire, burst in on you in flagrantly and wedge themselves between you while you try to sleep. It's amazing they ever have any siblings at all.

The solution: in the first six months, it's a case of grabbing sleep and sex when you can. Accept it as a temporary situation and focus on maintenance sex, because the more you have it, the more you'll desire it. After that, the "comfort them, cuddle them, but leave them in their cot" policy, favored by childcare gurus does work, eventually.

2 - The telly

Watching TV in the bedroom can be a total passion killer. There's too much chance of the husband zoning in on sports when the wife is feeling frisky; and of the wife fighting the husband off to catch the end of

Desperate Housewives. Staying up for late movie can also disrupt sleep patterns.

The solution: stick to live action only in the bedroom - so no television, DVD or sneaky PC sessions. Move them right out if you can. Studies also show that a computer or television kept on standby generates magnetic fields and imperceptible levels of noise that disrupt sleep.

3 - The bank statement

Couples are more likely to argue about money than anything else. But it's not just a lack of funds that triggers row. Arguments about money often give messages about emotional content of a relationship.

The solution: straight talking. On the whole, couples just muddle along while resentments build up. Try setting up four accounts - joint current (for bills), joint savings, plus one for the husband and one for the wife.

4 - The boss

If you work more than 48 hours a week, your libido's one of the first things to suffer. More than half the partners of long-hours workers had gripes about their sex life. Things aren't better on the sleep front: 25 percent of insomniacs claim work disrupts theirs.

The solution: swap stress for sex. Words make up only 10 percent of communication, so hold, stroke and hug your partner. And take sex out of the bedroom - there's less pressure if it's spontaneous. Sometimes the most rewarding sex can be enjoyed on the sofa, outside or even against the sink!

5 - The mojito

A couple of drinks can make you randy, but one too many can leave both of you struggling to perform. Women who drink heavily can have problems reaching orgasm too.

The solution: pace yourself. Eat before you go out, start the night with a soft drink, stick to one alcoholic drink an hour (if you must) and pause when you feel a buzz. That way, you loosen up without losing your response.