What to Know About Sleep Sex

The sleep disorder known as Sexsomnia, which is often referred to as sleep sex, is classified as a kind of parasomnia. The term “parasomnias” refers to the peculiar sensations and actions, such as sleepwalking, that individuals may experience or exhibit when they are sleeping, about to fall asleep, or while they are still awake. People who suffer from sexsomnia engage in sexual actions such as masturbation, sexual movements, sexual hostility, or initiating sexual activity with another individual. Even though they may be awake and making sexual noises, they are asleep during these activities and are ignorant of their behaviour until they are awake. Even though their eyes may be open, they are asleep.

What Are the Symptoms of Sexsomnia?

The symptoms of sexsomnia might vary from person to person, but the fundamental characteristic of this parasomnia is that a person who is asleep displays sexual activities that they are not aware of and are unable to control. An example of one of these behaviours is:

• Masturbation
• Fondling
• Sexual Noises
• Sexual Movement
• Initiating Sexual Activities
• Sexual Aggression
• Sexual Assault

Sexsomnia can occur concurrently with other types of parasomnias, such as sleepwalking and sleep talking. This condition seems to be more prevalent in males than in females, and it may even be up to three times more prevalent in males. In women who suffer from sexsomnia, masturbation is the behaviour that occurs most frequently.

What Causes Sexsomnia?

Sexsomnia is connected with a wide variety of underlying diseases and risk factors, according to the findings of specialists, even though research into the causes of sexsomnia is still restricted. These include the following:

• • Sleepwalking and REM sleep behaviour disorder are two examples of additional types of parasomnias.
  • Obstructive Sleep Apnea
  • Sleep-related issues
  • Chronic insomnia
  • Restless legs syndromes
  • Sleep-related dissociative disorder
  • Teeth grinding

What Triggers Sexsomnia?

The presence of an underlying medical reason is not always possible in cases of sexsomnia. It would suggest that environmental or lifestyle factors are related to the onset of certain instances. Individuals who already have an underlying condition may also experience the beginning of sexsomnia as a result of these causes. Examples of triggers that are frequently mentioned include stress, anxiety, sadness, excessive use of alcohol and other substances, and a lack of sleep. On the other hand, the factors that cause sexsomnia appear to differ from person to person.

How Is Sexsomnia Diagnosed?

In the majority of cases, individuals who have symptoms of sexsomnia do not contact their physician to report them. Shame is a prevalent component among persons who have this disease; nonetheless, it is essential to keep in mind that sexsomnia is frequently treatable and that medical professionals have your best interests in mind.

If you are concerned about the chance that you will encounter this parasomnia, the first step in the process of diagnosis and therapy is to consult with a medical practitioner. A recorded sleep study, also known as video-polysomnography, may be suggested by your physician to gain a deeper comprehension of your illness and whether or not there are any underlying sleep-related problems. This may involve a prolonged electroencephalogram (EEG) to evaluate the patient for seizures.

The Takeaways

Sexsomnia is a condition in which a person engages in sexually-related activities when they are asleep. Activities such as masturbating, thrusting, sexual encounters, and spontaneous orgasms are examples of these. To be diagnosed with sexsomnia, the individual who is engaged in these behaviours must either be unable to wake up, have a very difficult time waking up, or be unresponsive to discussion while they are engaging in these rituals. The precise reason for sexsomnia is unknown; however, similar to other types of parasomnias, such as sleepwalking, it typically manifests itself when a significant transition from one phase of sleep to another occurs unexpectedly.