When the Prophet (May peace be upon him) wanted to eat or sleep, he would perform ablution. She meant that (the prophet did so) when he was sexually defiled.
Sunan Abi Dawud Book 1, Hadith 224
← Previous Hadith If he intends to eat while he is defiled, he should wash both his hands.

Abu Dawud said: Ibn Wahb narrated this tradition on the authority of Yunus. He described the fact of eating as the statement of ‘A’ishah (not the saying of the prophet). It has also been narrated it from ‘Urwah or Abu Salamah. Al-Awza’I narrated it from Yunus on the Authority of Al-Zuhri from the prophet (ﷺ) as narrated by Ibn al-Mubarak.

Sunan Abi Dawud Book 1, Hadith 223 Next Hadith → The Prophet (ﷺ) granted permission to a person who was sexually defiled to eat or drink or sleep after performing ablution.

Abu Dawud said: In the chain of this tradition there is a narrator between Yahya b. Ya'mur and 'Ammar b. Yasir. 'Ali b. Abi Talib, Ibn 'Umar and 'Abd Allah b. 'Amr said: When a person is sexually defiled wants to eat, he should perform ablution.

Sunan Abi Dawud Book 1, Hadith 225