Sexsomnia: All You Need to Know About Sex During Sleep

Having sex without realizing it while sleeping? This may be due to sexsomia, also known as sleep sex.

This is the sleep disorder that most people don’t want to talk about. If you experience sleep sex or sexsomnia, you can have sex with people nearby, masturbate, or do other sex-making activities while you sleep! Seems weird, right? Such a condition can be distressing for those with sleep disorders. It can also affect relationships. The problem is often associated with stress or insufficient sleep. Read on to learn more about sleep sex and what to do with it.

What is sexsomnia?

Sexsomnia, a type of parasomnia, is a sleep disorder caused by unusual behaviors, experiences, or physical events that occur during sleep or when aroused from sleep. People with sexsomnia engage in sexual activities such as masturbation, fondling or having sex while sleeping.

A 2021 study published in the journal Sleep Research showed that almost all sex memories were either completely or almost absent in all sleep cases. It is considered a form of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) parasomnia and can be very distressing for both the individual and their partner. Sleep sex is linked to anxiety and insomnia.

What is the cause of sleep sex?

Sexsomnia occurs due to disruption of the sleep cycle. Factors that contribute to this disorder include stress, poor sleep quality, and irregular sleep patterns. It is also linked to other sleep disorders such as sleep walking and sleep apnea. The exact neural mechanism is not fully understood, but is believed to be related to abnormal activation in the part of the brain that controls sexual behaviour and sexual arousal during sleep.

Symptoms of sexsomnia

Symptoms of sexsomnia often include unwanted sexual intercourse during sleep. This may include masturbating, initiating sex, making sexual sounds or moaning. Other symptoms may include sleepwalking and sleep talking.

Even if the person is asleep, others will think he is asleep and his eyes may become dilated and he may have blurry vision. In fact, people only learn about the existence of the disease from their spouses or families with whom they live with.

What causes sleep sex?

Sexsomnia can have many causes. These include:

• Lack of sleep
• Stress
• Environmental factors such as irregular sleeping hours or sleeping in unusual places.
• Sleep disorders like sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome increases the likelihood of experiencing sexsomnia.
• Trauma, especially sexual-related trauma, can worsen or initiate the condition.
• Alcohol and recreational drugs disrupt sleep patterns and reduce the brain’s ability to regulate sleep, increasing the likelihood of sexsomnia.

How is sexsomnia treated?

Treatment options for sexsomnia involves improving sleep quality, finding solutions to sleep problems and managing stress. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be effective in reducing the stress and anxiety that can lead to sexsomnia. Your doctor may prescribe medications such as benzodiazepines or antidepressants. Using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine to treat sleep problems such as sleep apnea may be helpful.

What are some ways to cope with sleep sex?

1. Avoid triggers

Alcohol and recreational drugs can cause sexsomnia, so the trigger must first be identified. To reduce the frequency and severity of attacks, avoid drinking alcohol or using recreational drugs.

2. Improve sleep quality

Don’t deprive yourself of some sleep. Make a schedule and get enough sleep. Experts say going to bed and waking up at the same time every day to encourage consistent sleep.

3. Create a safe environment

Make sure your environment is safe for you and your loved ones. Sometimes people resort to violence while they experience sleep sex. Therefore, to prevent injuries during a sexsomnia episode, remove items that cause injury from the room.

4. Sleeping in separate bedrooms

If you have sleep sex, sleep alone. The person who should leave you is not just your spouse, but your children or other relatives or friends. Stay in a room with a locked door.

5. Use contraceptives

If you are a woman of childbearing age with sexsomnia, you are at risk of unwanted pregnancy if you sleep with a man. Therefore, use birth control but consult your gynaecologist.

What to do with a partner suffering from sexsomnia?

If your partner is having sexsomnia, do the following:

1. Open communication

Don’t be shy about this. Discuss the situation and its impact on your relationship clearly and openly. This will ensure that both parties are aware of the sleep sex and its symptoms.

2. Get professional help

If your partner refuses professional help, tell them why they need professional help. Encourage them to seek counseling and treatment from a sleep specialist.

3. Create boundaries

Even if your loved one is suffering from sexsomnia, set clear boundaries and communicate about you and your partner’s sleep. This can help you stay both safe and comfortable.

4. Monitor and record events

Even though writing is good for your brain, you should write for other purposes. Keep a sleep diary to track your partner’s sleep sex symptoms. This can help you identify the cause and discuss it with your doctor.

5. Be patient and determined

Remember, sleep sex is a disease, so treat it with compassion. Finding solutions together can help manage the situation.

Sexsomnia or sleep apnea is characterized by having sex during sleep. People with this disease masturbate, moan sexually, or have sex with their partners. It is very important to consult a doctor to get rid of sleep disorders.